Beam Processing Machines Compared: Laser, Plasma and Saw-Drill Lines
A saw and drill line cuts beams to length and drills round holes. A CNC plasma beam cutter adds copes and bevels at low cost. A 5-axis H-beam laser cuts everything a connection needs, from copes and access holes to bevels, slots and marks, ready to weld in one setup.
At a glance
- Saw-drill line: square cuts and round holes, copes done elsewhere.
- Plasma: copes and bevels at the lowest cost, more grinding.
- Laser: copes, access holes, bevels, slots and marks ready to weld.
- Choose by how many parts need connection details, not by price alone.
The short answer
| If your work is mostly… | Look at |
|---|---|
| Plain beams with round bolt holes and square ends | Saw and drill line |
| Heavy cutting and copes on a tight budget | CNC plasma beam cutter |
| Robotic plasma for mixed sections and copes | H-Series robotic beam cutter |
| Copes, access holes, bevels, slots and marks finished to fit-up | H-beam laser cutting machine |
Side by side
| H-beam laser | CNC plasma beam cutter | Saw and drill line | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut to length | Yes | Yes | Yes (saw) |
| Copes and access holes | Yes, narrow kerf | Yes, wider kerf | Separate coping machine |
| Weld bevels | V, Y, K to ±45° | Yes, with bevel torch | No |
| Bolt holes | Round and slotted, cut | Cut, more taper | Drilled, round only |
| Marking | Laser marking | Plasma marking | Scribing unit if fitted |
| Heat-affected zone | Narrow | Wider | None (mechanical) |
| Tail-end offcut | 0 mm | Depends on clamping | Depends on clamping |
| Rework before welding | Little or none | Often grinding | Copes and bevels elsewhere |
| Investment level | Highest | Lowest | Medium to high |
How to decide
- List what your parts need. Count how many parts per job need copes, access holes, bevels or slotted holes. If most do, a drill line alone leaves too much manual work.
- Check thickness. The 20 kW laser cuts up to 40 mm. Plasma handles thick flanges at lower cost, with more edge finishing.
- Count the stations. A drill line plus a coper plus manual beveling means three stations, three handlings and more floor space. One laser does all three in one setup.
- Add up material. A 300 mm tail on every bar is steel you pay for and scrap. See zero-remnant cutting.
- Look at the files. All three can take DSTV files from Tekla, but only the cutting machines turn copes and bevels into finished edges. See cutting from Tekla DSTV files.
When to combine machines
High-volume fabricators often keep a drill line for plain beams and add a laser for connection-heavy parts, or run plasma for thick parts next to a laser for beams. PCL builds both laser and plasma beam machines, so trial cuts can be run on the process that fits each part family. For an overview of methods, see cutting methods in steel structure construction.
Questions
Which beam processing machine is best?
There is no single best. A saw and drill line suits plain beams with round holes, plasma suits heavy cutting on a budget, and a 5-axis laser suits parts with copes, access holes, bevels and slots that must be ready to weld.
Can a laser replace a saw and drill line?
For most connection work, yes: it cuts to length, cuts the holes and adds copes, bevels and marks in one setup. For very high volumes of plain beams with simple holes, a drill line remains efficient.
Is plasma or laser better for H-beams?
Plasma costs less and handles thick flanges well, but leaves a wider kerf, more taper and more grinding. Laser gives tighter holes, cleaner copes and bevels that are ready for welding.
Do all three machines read Tekla files?
Yes, all three can work from DSTV NC files exported from Tekla and other detailing software.
Do you make all three types?
PCL builds H-beam lasers and CNC plasma beam cutters, and can advise on combining them with an existing drill line.
Send a part list for a process recommendation
Machine specifications and power options: H-beam laser cutting machine. Section dimensions: steel beam size chart.
