Tube Laser Cutting Machine
MNT (MEINAITE) fiber laser tube cutting machines cut round, square, rectangular and structural profile in one automatic operation — cut-off, holes, notches and weld bevels come off the same setup.
- Cut, drill and notch in one pass — replaces bandsaw + drill + mill for tube work
- ±0.02 mm repeatability — parts arrive at the weld fixture already fitting
- Ø 10–220 mm round, 10–150 mm square, up to 6000 mm long — with 45° miter and weld-prep bevel
Why Tube Work Moved Off the Bandsaw
A tube laser does in one operation what used to take three machines. The tube is loaded, the chuck self-centres, and the machine cuts the length, drills the holes, cuts the notches and puts the weld bevel on — then the next part. No transfer between saw, drill and mill, no fixture drift accumulating at each station, no deburring bench.
What that changes downstream matters more than the cutting itself: parts arrive at the weld fixture already fitting. Tab-and-slot features cut into the tube let a frame self-locate, which removes the jigs and the measuring that normally sit between cutting and welding. For fabricators running handrail, furniture frames, agricultural structures or exercise equipment, that is where the hours actually go.
Sheet and plate is a different machine — see the MNT fiber laser range for flat work. Industry guidance on tube laser process planning is published by The Fabricator, the reference most North American shops use when specifying this equipment.
Profiles We Cut
Round Tube
Ø 10–220 mm in carbon steel, stainless and aluminium. Self-centring four-jaw chuck holds thin wall without crushing it — the failure mode that makes a bandsaw vice unusable on light tube.
Square & Rectangular Tube
10–150 mm square section, cut with holes and slots positioned off the same datum as the cut-off, so a frame assembles without measuring on the bench.
Angle, Channel & H Profile
Structural profile handled by the same chuck and program. Weld-prep notches and miters are cut into the part rather than ground on afterwards.
Thin-Wall & Decorative Tube
Furniture and display tube where a saw would distort the section. No mechanical clamping force at the cut line means no oval, no crush, no rework.
Profile ranges and ±0.02 mm repeatability are the standard X6 build, measured in-house on 6000 mm bar.
What Fabricators Make With It
Handrail & Balustrade
Posts, rails and connection holes cut to one program. Site-measured runs become a file rather than a set of marked-up drawings.
Furniture & Shopfitting Frames
Tab-and-slot joints let a frame self-locate during welding, which removes jig cost from short runs and one-offs entirely.
Agricultural & Machinery Structures
Heavy structural profile with bolt holes and weld bevels in one pass — the bevel is why these parts usually go through a second operation.
Fitness & Exercise Equipment
High-volume tube with repeated hole patterns, where ±0.02 mm repeatability across a batch is what keeps assembly from becoming hand-fitting.
Recommended MNT Machines
Tube work runs on the X-series fiber platform. Pick by what arrives at your shop — tube, plate, or both.
X6 Fiber Laser Tube & Profile Cutter
- Cuts: Round Ø 10–220 mm, square 10–150 mm, angle, channel and H profile
- Specs: 6000 W · 6000 mm length · ±0.02 mm · pneumatic self-centring 4-jaw chuck · 50 m/min
- Best for: Dedicated tube and profile production — the machine this page is about
X5 Fiber Laser Metal Plate Cutter
- Cuts: Carbon steel, stainless and aluminium sheet and plate
- Specs: 3000 × 1500 mm bed · 3–6 kW · 0.05 mm positioning · rack-and-pinion dual drive
- Best for: Shops whose tube work is occasional and plate is the main job
X6040 Precision Fiber Laser Cutter
- Cuts: Small precision metal parts, thin sheet, fine detail
- Specs: Compact bed · marble base · enclosed safety door · high positioning accuracy
- Best for: Precision small-part work rather than structural tube
X-series machines share one fiber platform; models differ by whether they handle tube, plate or small precision parts.
What Actually Changes When Tube Comes Off a Laser
The saving is not the cutting time — a bandsaw cuts a tube quickly enough. It is everything that happens after: the drilling station, the notching, the deburring, the weld-prep grinding, and the jigs that exist only because the parts do not fit each other. A tube laser removes those steps by cutting the features into the part while it is already held.
| Factor | Tube laser | Bandsaw + drill + mill | Plasma / oxy tube cutter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut, hole, notch and bevel | One setup, one machine | Three machines, three setups | Cut only |
| Weld-prep bevel | Cut in the same pass | Separate grinding operation | Manual |
| Repeatability over a batch | ±0.02 mm | Drifts with fixture and operator | ±1 mm typical |
| Edge condition | Ready to weld | Burr, needs deburring | Dross, needs grinding |
| Assembly fit-up | Tab-and-slot cut into the part | Jigs and measuring | Jigs and measuring |
| Thin-wall tube | No distortion | Crushes in the vice | Heat distortion |
Where it does not pay: if you cut plain lengths with no holes, no notches and no bevels, a bandsaw is cheaper and we will say so. The economics turn on feature count per part, not on tonnage.
Why Fabricators Choose the MNT Tube Platform
The X6 is a dedicated tube machine, not a plate cutter with a rotary axis bolted on — that difference shows up in chuck design, tail length and how much of the last metre you can actually use. About MNT (MEINAITE) — who builds it and where.
Built as a Tube Machine
- Pneumatic self-centring four-jaw chuck — holds thin wall without crushing
- 130 mm tail length: less of every stick ends up as offcut
- Sensor-less tube detection, no manual datum setting per bar
Weld-Prep Built Into the Cut
- Cut-off, drilling, hollowing, piercing, notching, bevel and 45° miter in one program
- Parts leave the machine ready to weld — no grinding bench
- Tab-and-slot features let frames self-locate, removing jigs
See the Factory Behind It
- Imported servo, imported screw and L6 high-precision rack throughout the drive
- Assembled and laser-calibrated in-house, not sourced and rebadged
CE + ISO, Free Sample Cut
- CE-marked and ISO 9001:2015 certified, built by Hangzhou Chaohan
- Send a drawing and a length of your profile — we cut a free sample
- 12-month warranty, lifetime software updates, on-site commissioning
Specifications on this page are the standard X6 build: 6000 W, 6000 mm length, ±0.02 mm repeatability, measured in-house.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a tube laser cutting machine cost?
Production tube lasers run roughly USD 35,000 to 120,000+ depending on laser power, maximum tube length and whether automatic loading is included. Entry machines with short beds and manual loading start lower; a 6000 W, 6000 mm machine with a bundle loader sits at the upper end. Tell us your profile sizes and monthly volume and we quote factory-direct.
Can a tube laser cut I-beam and structural profile?
Yes. The X6 handles angle, channel and H profile alongside round and square tube, using the same self-centring chuck and program. Weld-prep notches, bolt holes and 45° miters are cut into the section rather than ground on afterwards — which is usually the whole reason structural work moves onto a tube laser.
What tube sizes can it handle?
Round tube Ø 10–220 mm, square and rectangular 10–150 mm, up to 6000 mm long, with a 130 mm tail. Wall thickness depends on material and laser power — at 6000 W, structural carbon steel wall thicknesses used in handrail, furniture and machinery frames are all within range.
Is a tube laser worth it if I already have a bandsaw?
It depends on features per part, not on how much tube you cut. If your parts are plain lengths, a bandsaw is cheaper and we will tell you so. If each part needs holes, notches, a bevel or a miter, the laser removes three downstream operations — drilling, deburring and weld-prep grinding — plus the jigs that exist because saw-cut parts do not fit each other.
How accurate is it across a full-length bar?
±0.02 mm repeatability, and within 0.15 mm across the full 6000 mm length. That figure matters most in assembly: hole patterns on a long member stay in position, so a frame goes together without hand-fitting at the last joint.
What about the offcut at the end of each bar?
Tail length is 130 mm. On a 6 m bar that is roughly 2% of the material, and it is one of the specifications worth comparing between machines — a longer tail on a high-volume line quietly costs more per year than the price difference between two machines.
Can it also cut sheet metal?
No — the X6 is a dedicated tube and profile machine. Flat sheet and plate is the X5 (3000 × 1500 mm, 3–6 kW) or the X6040 for small precision parts. Shops doing both usually run a plate machine and a tube machine rather than compromising with one; see the full fiber laser range.
What power supply and installation does it need?
Three-phase 380 V is the standard build. Installation needs floor space for the full bar length plus loading side — request the installation drawing when enquiring, because a 6 m machine with a loader needs the floor plan checked before shipping. Commissioning and operator training are included, on site.
Metal Cutting — Technical Guides
Choosing between cutting processes for metal comes down to thickness, edge condition and what happens downstream. These guides cover the trade-offs.
Send a Drawing for a Free Tube Sample Cut
Send your profile sizes, wall thickness, feature list and monthly volume — we cut a free sample on an X6, send photos of the weld-prep edge, and quote the exact build.