Fiber laser tube cutting: high-precision metal profiles

The advantages of the fiber laser for tube cutting

The fiber laser is one of the most advanced technologies for metal tube cutting, with many advantages over other cutting methods. These include:

• Cutting precision and quality: thanks to the precision of the laser beam, the cut is clean and sharp, eliminates deburring operations and produces perfect tubulars that are easier to assemble
• Speed and efficiency: the tube cutting process is very fast, since no rigid tooling or dies need to be designed, built and mounted, and no extra finishing is required: productivity increases significantly, in large runs as in small batches
• Cost reduction: shorter processing times and lower maintenance requirements reduce operating costs
• Versatile machining: suited to different metals and thicknesses, fiber laser technology lets you switch cutting geometries quickly with a single system and easily perform operations such as chamfering or profile machining
• Safety and lower risk: the absence of mechanical action on the piece minimizes the risk of deformation, saving material and improving end-product quality

Which metals can be cut with a fiber laser?

One of the most appreciated features of the fiber laser is its ability to process a wide range of metals. Cutting stainless steel tubes is particularly common, thanks to this material's corrosion resistance and its broad applicability across industries.

Another metal frequently processed with fiber lasers is aluminum, used above all in the automotive and aerospace industries.

Unlike CO2 lasers, the fiber laser can also process metals with high thermal and electrical conductivity, as in laser cutting of copper or brass tubes: the shorter wavelength of the fiber laser beam is better absorbed by the material. Finally, fiber laser machines can also process carbon steel tubes, used in many structural and mechanical applications.

Which formats can be processed in laser tube cutting?

Beyond square and rectangular tubes, fiber laser systems are also ideal for special and custom metal profiles. Laser tube cutting machines adapt to different angular openings, offering maximum flexibility to produce:

• Round tubes
• Square and rectangular tubulars
• Oval and elliptical tubes
• L, C, U profiles, flat bars and special profiles

The innovation of the laser tube cutting process also enables complex cutting profiles with high precision.

Tube: the automatic revolution in metal tube processing

When it comes to fiber laser technology for metal tube processing, the spearhead of the Cutlite Penta range is the Tube system. Built on Cutlite Penta's experience in metal cutting, Tube delivers a complete tubular piece, with all the required cutting operations, in a single production cycle.

This automatic metal tube processing system thus reduces production times to a minimum, avoiding the succession of separate steps for cutting, deburring, drilling, end trimming, joints and special machining.

The machine's CNC manages the execution of all the cutting operations in the part program and the unloading of finished pieces: an operational and strategic advantage that makes companies more competitive in this sector. Here are the components behind the Tube system's efficiency.

Tube cutting head designed in-house

Cutlite Penta offers several configurations of the Tube cutting head, adaptable to market needs. Tube systems mount a unique cutting head, the work of our research and development department.

Its essential design, optimized to minimize maintenance, stands out for the fully sealed optical assembly, which guarantees a long service life. The compact, modular configuration of the Tube head focuses on simple consumables: the easily replaceable protective window of the optics, thanks to the manually removable drawer, and the nozzles designed by Cutlite Penta reduce technical gas consumption while maintaining impeccable cutting results.

Cutting quality is ensured by the capacitive sensor, which keeps the nozzle at a constant distance from the material surface. Its strengths:

• Contact-less, real-time calibration maintenance via the integrated capacitive sensor
• Proprietary design
• Technical gas control
• Tidy connections and wiring concentrated in the upper part of the system
• Easily replaceable protective window and ceramic

High-reliability laser source

Tube's fiber laser source guarantees high efficiency and excellent beam quality. Enclosed in an air-conditioned, fully sealed NEMA 12 cabinet, the source ensures reliable operation even in harsh environments. Its versatility makes it suitable for processing different types of metals, while its stability keeps maintenance costs low.

State-of-the-art software for precision

Like all Cutlite Penta systems, Tube relies on latest-generation software, simple and intuitive. Designed for a high level of customization, the software lets you get the most out of the machine.

High-tech hardware accessories

Tube is prearranged to host several hardware accessories, standard or optional, such as:

• Smart Weld, to detect the position of the weld seam (both external and internal) before the bar is loaded into the machine, in time fully masked by the machining of the previous bar
• Position camera, to monitor and view the machine's work remotely
• Tube position detection system with cutting path correction
• Optional automation to optimize processing times, reducing bar loading and unloading times
• Optional Smart Mandrel, a spindle with automatic 10-station tool changer for flow drilling and tapping up to M12
• Optional Smart Cleaning, which protects the tube during cutting and collects internal scrap on round tubes

The Tube system also features a step-by-step automatic loader and an automatic bundle loader, customizable and with sliding surfaces fully lined in plastic material to prevent damage and scratches on delicate tubes.

Adopting the Tube system therefore delivers a concrete leap in efficiency, speed and end-product quality. This technology not only improves the production process but also brings a substantial competitive advantage, making production more flexible, economical and high-performing.

Discover all the details of the laser system for cutting metal tubes and profiles or contact us for more information.

Frequently asked questions

What are the advantages of fiber laser tube cutting?

Clean, sharp cuts with no deburring, speed without dedicated tooling or dies, lower operating costs, versatility across metals and geometries, and less risk of deforming the piece.

Which metals can be cut with a fiber laser?

Stainless steel, aluminum, carbon steel and, unlike CO2 lasers, also highly conductive metals such as copper and brass.

Which tube formats can be processed?

Round tubes, square and rectangular tubulars, oval and elliptical tubes, L, C, U profiles, flat bars and special profiles.

What is Cutlite Penta's Tube system?

Cutlite Penta's automatic metal tube processing system: it produces the complete tubular piece, with all the required operations, in a single production cycle.