Lasers, Optics & Photonics Manufacturing worked example

Laser Cutting Yield at 99% yield target: a worked example

What does the result look like when yield target reaches 99%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use this when tracking laser cutting quality on a shift board, preparing for a customer quality review, or deciding if your kerf width, focal position, or assist gas pressure needs adjustment.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Conforming parts (pass inspection): 237 parts (unchanged)
  • Total parts cut in run: 250 parts (unchanged)
  • Yield target: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 97)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Laser cutting yield rate = conforming parts / total parts cut x 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 94.8 % for laser cutting yield rate, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4.2 points for gap to yield target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 237 count for conforming parts.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 250 count for total parts cut.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where yield target sits at 97% and the headline result is 94.8 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 94.8 %.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when yield target is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It measures only pass/fail outcome and does not distinguish defect types or weight the severity of each rejection.

Results at a glance

  • Laser cutting yield rate: 94.8 % (headline result)
  • Gap to yield target: 4.2 points
  • Conforming parts: 237 count
  • Total parts cut: 250 count

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Laser Cutting Yield calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.