PIPE PROCESSING: THE SHIFT FROM MANUAL TO ROBOTIC AND FIBER LASER

December 12th, 2025

In 2026 the industrial landscape has moved far beyond the manual efforts of the past. Modern shops now rely on tiered levels of automation from specialized plasma units to lightning fast tube lasers and fully autonomous robotic cells.

Manual and Handheld Solutions of the Past

Historically pipe cutting was a labor intensive process relying on basic hand tools like wheel cutters, hacksaws, and manual torches. These methods required skilled operators to measure, mark, and cut each piece by hand which often led to inconsistent results and significant material waste. Even early motorized saws required constant human supervision and secondary grinding to prepare edges for welding. In 2026 these tools are largely reserved for field repairs or hobbyist work rather than high production environments.

Plasma Pipe Cutting Systems

For industrial processing of large diameter pipes the Machitech Pipe Cut represents a massive leap in efficiency. This fully automated system is designed to handle diameters from 2.5 to 48 inches using high definition plasma power from Hypertherm.

• Floating Chuck System: Automatically adjusts for out of round pipes to prevent slippage and ensure rotational accuracy.
• 5 Axis Contour Beveling: This optional head allows the machine to perform complex weld prep including saddles, miters, and holes in a single operation.
• Automated Handling: With motorized infeed and outfeed conveyors up to 60 feet long the system moves heavy material with minimal operator intervention.

Tube Laser Cutting Systems

When the priority is extreme speed and razor sharp precision for complex profiles the Fiber Tube XL is the 2026 industry standard. This machine uses fiber laser technology (ranging from 6 to 12 kW) to cut through round, square, and rectangular tubes with zero secondary finishing required.

• Triple Chuck Design: Provides superior stability during high speed rotation and enables zero tail cutting to minimize material waste.
• Intelligent Nesting: Powered by Lantek Flex3D software the system optimizes every inch of material and simulates the cut path to prevent errors.
• Adaptive Clamping: The system automatically detects the pipe position and adjusts its grip for various profiles without manual tooling changes.

Robotic Plasma Cutting Systems

At the pinnacle of structural fabrication is the Beamcut system. This is a fully automated 6 axis robotic cell that replaces six traditional machines—including the band saw, drill line, and coping station.

• 6 Axis FANUC Robot: The arm provides total freedom of movement to cut all four sides of a beam or pipe including intricate bolt holes and bevels.
• Photo-Laser Measuring: This unique device scans the raw material in split seconds to account for mill tolerances and positioning ensuring every cut is perfect.
• Software Simulation: The Beamcut Soft suite allows you to verify cutting trajectories on a drafting computer so the machine stays running while you program the next job.