Laser cutters are quite similar in that they follow a programmed path that has been set out in advance but differ radically when it comes time for it to cut. Instead of the physical method, it uses a laser, as the name suggests, to cut through the materials. This process works by directing the output of a high-powered laser through optics. A CNC cutting machine’s most obvious characteristic is that it cuts through direct physical contact. However, unlike countless other cutting tools at your disposal, a CNC machine is automated and follows a set programmed path through computer numerical control.