11/05/2026
A question that comes up constantly in the laser cutting industry:
"Why does your machine cost more? The other one has CE certification too."
It's a fair question. Here's the honest answer.
CE certification is not a single standard — it's a combination of directives, and which ones apply depends on the machine. For laser cutting machines, that includes not just electrical and machinery directives, but also laser-specific safety requirements.
That last part is what's often missing in lower-cost machines. They may carry a CE mark — and still fall short of full laser safety compliance. The mark alone doesn't tell the whole story.
CECIMO, the European Association of Manufacturing Technologies, has put together a clear and practical guideline on exactly this topic. Whether you're buying, specifying, or operating a laser cutting machine for plate or tube applications, it's a genuinely useful read.
Free to access — link in the comments.
Credits:
Publisher: CECIMO
Authors: David Heisenberg , Sonja Pfenninger, Stefano Ramundo Orlando
Copyediting & graphic design: Diana Anichitoaei
