Abstract: A device to cut and butt-weld bands or metal sheets having limited dimensions by means of a laser device and shears which have two shearing blades facing downwards and arranged at a certain distance from each other on a pivoting shearing beam, and these blades carry out an essentially vertical cutting motion.In order to reduce the cycle time for cutting and welding bands and metal sheets, they are clamped onto a backing strip on the upper side of the shearing beam by means of clamping jaws and welded with a laser beam decoupled from a laser resonator.