How it is worked out
Chart: the kerf of the nearest listed thickness at or above yours, from Hypertherm's Best Quality settings at 45 A.Test cut: cut a square on the drawn line with compensation off, then measure it. Kerf = drawn size − measured size, because the cut takes half a kerf from each side.Offset per side = kerf ÷ 2. The controller or the CAM program moves the path by this much; the drawing stays at the true size.Metal left between two parts = spacing − 2 × kerf, because with compensation on, each cut runs a full kerf outside its own part.
Fiber laser kerf
Fiber laser kerf is a few tenths of a millimetre, but no laser maker's chart was available to us. Measure your own with the test cut above, for each material, thickness, gas and nozzle.
Kerf at 65 A and 105 A, and where compensation is set in CypCut, CypNest and SheetCAM: the kerf width guide.