--- title: "3D Plasma Pipe Cutting" description: "3D plasma pipe cutting up to 30 mm. Steel, stainless, wear plate. Notchings & 3D cutouts – tube laser alternative. Contract manufacturing, Germany." url: "https://bock-gmbh.com/en/services/3d-plasma-pipe-cutting/" language: "en" index: "https://bock-gmbh.com/en/llms.txt" --- # 3D Plasma Pipe Cutting – When Tube Lasers Are No Longer Economical For complex 3D contours, notchings and bevel cuts on pipes and profiles: precise CNC plasma cutting up to 30 mm wall thickness in structural steel, stainless steel, fine-grain structural steel and wear plate such as Hardox or XAR 400. Max. Wall Thickness Materials Cut Types Profile Types ## 3D plasma cutting on the tube – how the weld-ready edge is created A CNC-controlled plasma torch performs the cut three-dimensionally directly on the tube or profile – contours, copes, mitres and penetrations are produced in a single clamping, straight from the 3D-CAD model. Manual marking, re-clamping and reworking are eliminated. Because the torch positions the cutting angle freely in space, precisely fitting tubular joints and weld-ready bevels are created that can be welded on without reworking. The process remains economical from a batch size of one and stays stable even where tube lasers reach their limits with thick wall thicknesses and wear-resistant steels. As an industrial supplier, we serve machine, steel and plant engineering throughout the DACH region – from tubular joints for truss structures and saddle cuts in pipework construction to frames and special components made of high-strength fine-grain structural steel. ## Machine data | Machine | Wall thickness | Bevel cut | | Zinser · 3D plasma pipe-cutting system | up to 30 mm | ±45° | ## Technical Capabilities Our CNC-controlled plasma pipe cutting head operates on three axes – enabling true 3D contour cuts directly on the pipe, without costly rework. | Parameter | Specification | | Materials | Structural steel (S235/S355), stainless steel (e.g. 1.4301/1.4571), fine-grain structural steel (S460–S1100), wear plate (Hardox, XAR 400) | | Profile Types | Round tube, square tube (SHS), rectangular tube (RHS), hollow sections | | Cut Types | 3D profile cuts, bevel cuts, notchings, pipe notchings, cutouts, holes | | Manufacturing Data | STEP/STP file plus technical drawing | ## Where Tube Lasers Hit Their Limits – 3D Plasma Doesn't - Wear plate up to 30 mm - Hardox and XAR 400 can be processed safely, where tube lasers often give up. - Wall thicknesses beyond the laser limit - From around 20 mm, production stays stable and reproducible. - Economical from piece 1 - Single parts and small batches without expensive minimum lot sizes. - True 3D geometries - Notchings, saddle cuts and cutouts in one clean CNC process. - No outsourcing needed - Cutting, welding, shot blasting and painting at one site. - STEP/STP plus drawing - A 3D model as a STEP/STP file and a technical drawing as a reliable basis for geometry, tolerances and cutting strategy. ## Tube Laser Alternative – Direct Comparison Not every project needs a tube laser. The best solution depends on material, wall thickness, batch size and geometry complexity. ### 3D Plasma is strong when … you want to produce thick-walled pipes, wear-resistant steels and 3D notchings cost-effectively. ### A tube laser fits when … thin-walled parts with very high cutting speed are the priority. ### Oxy-fuel makes sense when … extreme wall thicknesses above 30 mm are required and thermal robustness takes priority. | Feature | Tube Laser | 3D Plasma PipeBock Maschinenbau | Oxy-Fuel PipeBock Maschinenbau | | Max. Wall Thickness | ≤ 20 mm | up to 30 mm | up to 50 mm | | Materials | Steel, Stainless Steel | Structural steel, stainless steel, fine-grain structural steel, wear plate (Hardox) | Structural steel, fine-grain structural steel (S460–S1100), wear plate (Hardox) | | 3D Cutouts & Notchings | Yes | Yes | Limited | | Bevel Cuts | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Cutting Speed | Very High | High | Medium | | Cost-Effectiveness | Often high-priced for simple parts | Economical | Often economical at very large wall thicknesses | | Single Part / Small Batch | Limited | Yes | Yes | ## Typical Applications Wherever pipes and profiles require precision cutting – and a tube laser is too expensive, too limited or simply unavailable. ### Pipeline Engineering Saddle cuts, branch notchings and flange preparations for industrial and process piping systems. ### Crane & Steel Construction Beam notchings, gusset plates and connection profiles for bridges, cranes and structural steel frameworks. ### Vehicle Engineering Frame sections, cross members and coupling mounts from high-strength fine-grain structural steel and wear plate. ### Special-Purpose Machinery One-off parts and prototypes with complex 3D contours directly from CAD data – without subcontracting. ## Impressions from Our 3D Pipe Cutting Real shots from our production in Lorch – from the flanged pipe in the rotary positioner through the plasma cut in progress and the finished slot cut-out to the long pipe with several cut-outs in a single set-up. More from our production: Cutting · 19 images ## For Extreme Wall Thicknesses: Oxy-Fuel Pipe Cutting Wall thicknesses above 30 mm? Then our oxy-fuel copy-flame cutting is the right choice. Structural steel, fine-grain structural steel and wear plate (Hardox) up to 50 mm wall thickness – reliable and cost-effective. - Wall thickness up to 30 mm and complex geometry: 3D plasma is usually the best option. - Very thin-walled and highest cycle times: a tube laser can make sense. - Wall thickness above 30 mm: oxy-fuel pipe cutting is usually more suitable. An oxygen jet burns its way through heated steel. Follow the process from plate to finished blank, and learn when plasma cutting makes more sense. How does flame cutting work? → ## Technical Questions Before Your Enquiry To help you decide faster, here are the most common questions from practice. ### From which wall thickness does 3D plasma become interesting? URL: https://bock-gmbh.com/en/services/3d-plasma-pipe-cutting/#faq-ab-wandstaerke-3d-plasma 3D plasma becomes especially relevant at thicker wall thicknesses, when a tube laser reaches its economic or technical limits. ### Can I enquire with existing CAD data? URL: https://bock-gmbh.com/en/services/3d-plasma-pipe-cutting/#faq-bestehenden-cad-daten-anfragen Yes. For this pipe machining we need a STEP/STP file as the 3D dataset plus a technical drawing. We check the geometry, tolerances, cutting strategy and the suitable manufacturing technology. ### Do single parts also make sense? URL: https://bock-gmbh.com/en/services/3d-plasma-pipe-cutting/#faq-einzelteile-ebenfalls-sinnvoll Yes. Production is also designed for single parts and small batches, without depending on large lot sizes. ### What happens for wall thicknesses above 30 mm? URL: https://bock-gmbh.com/en/services/3d-plasma-pipe-cutting/#faq-geht-wandstaerken-30-mm Then we switch to oxy-fuel processes. This keeps even very thick-walled pipe components reliably feasible. ## Machine Operator / CNC Plasma Flame Cutter (m/f/d) Machine Operator / CNC Plasma Flame Cutter (m/f/d) — As a Machine Operator / CNC Plasma Flame Cutter (m/f/d), you will operate modern CNC flame and plasma cutting machines for cutting steel plates, profiles and pipes at our site in 73547 Lorch, near Schwäbisch Gmünd, Baden-Württemberg. Experience in flame cutting is welcome, but it is not a requirement – we will train you on the machine. Career changers from production, warehouse work or metalworking are welcome too: we will train you as a machine operator on the cutting system, and you can obtain your forklift and crane licence with us. ## Upload your drawing. Get a manufacturing solution. Send us your STEP/STP file plus a technical drawing. You will receive a realistic recommendation on the suitable technology and a no-obligation quote. ### Alexander Schulz For new enquiries, quotations and technical questions on the feasibility of your project. ### Jochen Hack