Patent ID: 8729427

Claim:
A method of cutting a sheet material using a laser, comprising: performing a first cutting process of cutting the sheet material along a first toolpath a plurality of times in a row by: cutting the sheet material along the first toolpath to form a cut extending below a top surface of the sheet material and having a single kerf formed in the surface of the sheet material along the first toolpath; and cutting the sheet material at least one additional time along the first toolpath after forming the cut to deepen the cut along the first toolpath until the cut reaches a first depth below the top surface of the sheet material, each cutting along the first toolpath after forming the cut extending the cut deeper into the sheet material along the first toolpath than a previous cutting; and performing a second cutting process of cutting the sheet material, at least one time, along a second toolpath after performing the first cutting process, the second toolpath spaced apart from the first toolpath in a direction along the top surface of the sheet material, thereby extending a width of the single kerf by an additional amount along the second toolpath and extending the cut by the additional amount along the second toolpath to at least the first depth.