Tube Laser Cutting Service: A Complete Guide

Fabworks' tube laser cutting service turns round, square, and rectangular tube into finished parts without a stack of secondary operations, cutting holes, slots, tabs, miters, and end copes directly from a 3D model in a single setup. This guide covers how our tube cutting service works, what materials are available, how to design parts for it, and how pricing works when you're ready to get a quote.

How Our Tube Cutting Service Works

We cut tube on a 5-axis TRUMPF TruLaser Tube 5000, which rotates round, square, and rectangular tube while the laser head keeps features cut in a single setup, including holes, tabs, slots, copes, miters, and bevels. For more on the process and how it's used, see Tube Lasers Explained.

Because we cut tube directly from a 3D model rather than a 2D drawing, what used to be several manufacturing steps, saw cutoff, drill press, hand deburring, can be combined into one automated pass.

Materials: Steel and Aluminum Tube

Our tube cutting service runs steel and aluminum tube:

• Aluminum tube, primarily 6061-T6, in round and square profiles. It's a common choice when weight matters, such as frames, rails, and fluid or pressure applications.
• Steel tube, in A513 mechanical tubing and A519 seamless tubing. A513 is the economical choice for general fabrication, while A519's seamless construction holds up better under torsional or high-pressure loads.

Designing Parts for Tube Laser Cutting

Tube laser parts are quoted and cut directly from a STEP file, so there are a few things worth knowing before you model a part:

1. Stock sizes: We stock a curated set of round, square, and rectangular profiles. Check the aluminum and steel materials pages before finalizing a cross-section.
2. Length: Finished parts can run up to 96", with a length tolerance of +/-0.020".
3. Corners stay sharp in CAD: Square and rectangular tube stock ships with a small radius on the outside corners that varies batch to batch. Don't model that radius, it just adds modeling time without changing what you get.
4. Hole placement: Keep holes at least one wall thickness from any edge or end cut, and place them on the flat face of square tube rather than across the corner radius.
5. End conditions: Square cuts, miters up to +/-45 degrees, compound miters, copes for tube-to-tube joints, weld-prep bevels, and tab and slot features for self-locating assemblies can all be cut in the same setup.

For the full set of tolerances and feature limits, see the Tube Laser Cutting Guidelines.

What Our Tube Laser Cutting Service Is Good For

Our tube laser cutting service is well suited to welded frames, brackets, furniture, rails, and other formed tube assemblies. Designing tabs, slots, and copes directly into the tube removes the need for welding fixtures and secondary fit-up work, since the parts locate themselves, which makes it a strong fit for parts that need accurate fit-up downstream.

Tube Laser Cutting Service Price

Like sheet metal laser cutting, tube laser cutting service price is driven by a handful of factors rather than a flat rate:

• Material and wall thickness: heavier wall tube and premium alloys cost more to cut per foot.
• Part length: longer parts use more raw stock and machine time.
• Feature count and complexity: more holes, slots, miters, and copes add cutting time.
• Quantity: ordering more parts spreads setup across the run and typically lowers the per-part price.

Rather than quoting from a price list, we calculate tube laser cutting service price instantly from your STEP file and selected thickness, the same way our sheet metal quoting works. You'll see pricing and an estimated ship date, currently 2-3 business days for standard tube parts, before you place an order.

Getting a Quote

1. Design your part following the tube guidelines, keeping corners sharp and holes clear of edges and end cuts.
2. Export a STEP file from your CAD software. If you need help, see our guides for Fusion 360 and Onshape.
3. Upload and configure: upload the STEP file, select your material and wall thickness, and we return instant pricing.
4. Order: review the ship date and place your order, no minimum quantity required.

Whether you're prototyping a single bracket or ordering a production run of welded frames, Fabworks' tube laser cutting service keeps quoting, ordering, and repeat purchasing in the same workflow you already use for sheet metal.