Tube Laser Cutting Machine Price: Ranges, What Moves the Price, and How to Compare Quotations
By Casper Geng, Sales Manager, PCL Group · Updated 2026-10-29
Short answer
- PCL LT series two-chuck tube lasers cost about $12,000 to $90,000; LT3 three-chuck heavy-duty machines about $30,000 to $150,000.
- Laser power and brand, chuck size, bed length and options such as a bevel head or loader decide where a machine sits in the range.
- Two quotations are only comparable if they list the same laser brand and power, chuck size, tube length, software, warranty and what is included in installation.
- Running cost is mainly electricity, assist gas and consumables; nitrogen can cost more per hour than electricity.
On this page
Price ranges
| Machine | What it is | Price range (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| LT series: LT240, LT360, LT520 | Two-chuck tube laser, square chuck 240-520 mm, 6/9/12 m, 1.5-20 kW | $12,000 – $90,000 |
| LT3 series: LT3-240, LT3-360, LT3-520 | Three-chuck, side-mount, zero tail, 6 or 12 m, 6-30 kW, optional bevel head | $30,000 – $150,000 |
| Automatic loading | Chain or bundle loader added to an LT machine | Quoted to your tube range and length |
The ranges are for the machine. Freight, import duties and taxes depend on the destination and are quoted separately. The spread inside each range is wide because two machines with the same model name can differ by a factor of three or more in laser power, chuck size and options.
What moves the price
| Factor | Lower in the range | Higher in the range |
|---|---|---|
| Laser power | 1.5-3 kW | 12-30 kW |
| Laser source brand | Domestic sources (for example Raycus or Max) | Imported sources (for example IPG) |
| Chuck size | 240 mm | 520 mm |
| Tube length | 6 m bed | 9 or 12 m bed |
| Chucks | Two chucks | Three chucks, zero tail |
| Cutting head | Standard head | 45° bevel head |
| Loading | Manual | Chain or bundle loader |
| Software | Control with shape library | Plus office nesting software licences |
Laser power is usually the biggest single lever. A good way to keep the price down is to size the laser for the wall you cut every day, not for the thickest wall you might cut once a year: the LT series page has a table of wall thickness by laser power. Buying more power than you need adds cost twice, in the purchase price and in the electricity and gas it uses.
Where your machine is likely to sit
| Typical buyer | Configuration | Position in the range |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture, fitness, shelving, thin tube | LT240, 1.5-3 kW, 6 m | Lower end of the LT range |
| Machine frames, trailers, general fabrication | LT240 or LT360, 3-6 kW, 6-9 m | Middle of the LT range |
| Structural tube, channel and H-sections | LT360 or LT520, 6-12 kW, 9-12 m | Upper part of the LT range |
| Stainless or long-run production, zero tail | LT3-240 or LT3-360, 6-12 kW | Lower to middle of the LT3 range |
| Heavy tube with weld bevels | LT3-520, 12-30 kW, bevel head, 12 m | Upper end of the LT3 range |
For an exact figure, send your largest and smallest tube, wall thickness, tube length and monthly volume. A quotation built on those numbers is more useful than a price list, because it is sized to the work rather than to a catalogue model.
How to compare two quotations
Most of the price difference between suppliers disappears once the quotations are put side by side on the same items. Check each line:
| Item | What to check | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Laser source | Brand, model and power in kW | “Fiber laser” with no brand or model |
| Chucks | Chuck size, number of chucks, pneumatic or electric | Tube range stated without chuck size |
| Tube length and tail | Maximum bar length and remnant length | Tail length not stated |
| Cutting head and control | Head brand, control and software version | Software licences listed as “optional” later |
| Accuracy | Positioning and repositioning accuracy, how measured | Figures without units or method |
| Chiller, stabiliser, extraction | Included or extra | Essentials priced separately |
| Spare parts | Nozzles, protective windows, ceramic rings in the first supply | No consumables included |
| Warranty | Machine and laser source separately, in years | “1 year” with no detail. PCL: 3 years machine, 2 years laser source |
| Installation and training | On site or remote, days included, who pays travel | Installation not mentioned |
| Incoterm | EXW, FOB, CIF or DAP, and the named port | Prices compared on different terms |
Running costs after the purchase
- Electricity. The laser, chiller, drives and extraction together. Fiber lasers turn a large share of input power into light, so they use far less electricity than older CO2 lasers of the same power.
- Assist gas. Nitrogen for clean stainless and thin-wall edges, oxygen or air for carbon steel. At high pressure, nitrogen can cost more per hour than electricity; the stainless tube guide shows how to work out gas cost per metre.
- Consumables. Nozzles, protective windows and ceramic rings, replaced as they wear.
- Maintenance. Chiller water, filters, rack and guide lubrication; on PCL machines the rack is lubricated automatically.
For the return on investment, compare the machine with the way the parts are made today: the tube laser vs saw and drill calculator works out cost per part, and the zero-tail calculator works out what a three-chuck machine saves in material.
Buying from PCL
PCL builds tube lasers in Jinan, China, and has shipped machines to more than 80 countries since 2005. Every quotation lists the laser brand and power, chuck size, bed length, software, warranty and installation terms line by line, and we can cut a sample of your part before you order.
Have a cutting job in mind? Send the section size, wall thickness and a drawing, and an engineer will tell you which method or machine fits.
Ask on WhatsAppMachines mentioned in this article
All Tube Laser Cutting Machines
Every model compared.
Compare all models →LT Series Tube Laser
$12,000 – $90,000.
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LT3 Three-Chuck Heavy Tube Laser
$30,000 – $150,000.
View machine →
Automatic Loading Tube Laser
Quoted to your tube range.
View machine →FAQ
How much does a tube laser cutting machine cost?
PCL LT series two-chuck machines cost about $12,000 to $90,000; LT3 three-chuck heavy-duty machines about $30,000 to $150,000, depending on laser power, chuck size, tube length and options.
What is the biggest factor in the price?
Usually the laser power and source brand, followed by chuck size, bed length and options such as a bevel head or automatic loader.
How much is an automatic loading tube laser?
The loader is quoted to your tube range, bar length and bundle weight. Send those figures for a price.
Is a 1.5 kW tube laser enough?
For thin-wall tube up to about 3 mm, yes. Thicker walls or higher speeds need 3-6 kW or more; see the wall thickness table on the LT series page.
Why do quotations for similar machines differ so much?
They rarely include the same laser brand and power, chuck size, software, spare parts, warranty and installation. Compare them line by line.
Does the price include shipping and installation?
Machine prices are quoted separately from freight and import costs. Ask every supplier which Incoterm applies and what installation and training include.
What warranty comes with a PCL tube laser?
3 years on the machine and 2 years on the laser source.
What does it cost to run a tube laser?
Mainly electricity, assist gas and consumables such as nozzles and protective windows. Nitrogen at high pressure is often the largest running cost on stainless work.
Can I see a test cut before buying?
Yes. Send a drawing or 3D file and we cut a sample at our factory in Jinan and send you the video.