Heavy-Duty Three-Chuck Pipe Laser Cutting Machine LT3
Side-mount CNC tube pipe laser cutter: square chuck 240, 360 or 520 mm, 6-30 kW, zero tail
The LT3 is PCL’s heavy-duty CNC tube pipe laser cutting machine. Three chucks hold the tube at the rear, beside the cutting head and in front of it, and the cutting head is mounted at the side of the bed. Long and heavy tube stays steady while it turns, and the last part is cut from the very end of the bar, with no tail left over.
- Free test cut on your tube
- 3-year machine warranty
- Installed in 80+ countries
- Factory direct since 2005
- Chucks
- 3, zero tail
- Square chuck
- 240 / 360 / 520 mm
- Length
- 6 m / 12 m
- Laser
- 6-30 kW
- Bevel
- Optional, 45°
LT3 models
| Model | Square chuck | Round tube | Square / rectangular tube, channel, H-section | Tube length | Laser power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT3-240 | 240 × 240 mm | up to Ø240 mm | 240 × 240 mm | 6 m or 12 m | 6-30 kW |
| LT3-360 | 360 × 360 mm | up to Ø360 mm | 360 × 360 mm | 6 m or 12 m | 6-30 kW |
| LT3-520 | 520 × 520 mm | up to Ø520 mm | 520 × 520 mm | 6 m or 12 m | 6-30 kW |
As on the two-chuck LT series, each model is named after its square chuck.
Buyers looking for a CNC pipe laser cutting machine, a CNC laser pipe cutter or a CNC fiber laser tube cutting machine for heavy work will find the LT3 is the top of the PCL range: the same fiber laser tube cutting as the LT series, with a third chuck, a side-mounted head and up to 30 kW for cutting steel tubes with thick walls.
How three chucks give zero tail
- Rear chuck clamps the tail of the tube, rotates it and pushes it towards the cutting head.
- Middle chuck sits just behind the cutting head. It supports the tube close to the cut, so long and heavy tube does not sag or whip while it turns.
- Front chuck holds the tube on the far side of the cutting head, so the part being cut is supported on both sides.
- Hand-over. When the rear chuck reaches the middle chuck, the front and middle chucks take over and pull the tube through. The rear chuck no longer blocks the end of the bar, so the last part is cut and nothing is left as scrap.
Get the price and your zero-tail saving
Send your tube size, material and bars per month. We reply with a configuration, a quotation and the scrap saving for your figures.
Why side-mount
On the LT3 the cutting head is carried on a beam at the side of the bed instead of a gantry above the tube. That keeps the path of the tube open: large and heavy sections pass through without hitting the frame, cut parts and slag fall clear of the chucks, and the operator can see and reach the cutting zone. Together with the third chuck, it is built for tube that is too long, heavy or costly to cut on a standard two-chuck machine.
Zero tail: what it saves
On a two-chuck tube laser the length held in the rear chuck is scrapped at the end of every bar. With zero tail that length becomes parts. The saving is that length, times the bars you cut each year, times the price of the tube, and it is largest on stainless steel, aluminium and heavy wall tube. Send your tube size, material price and bars per month and we will work out the figure for your shop.
| Two chucks (LT series) | Three chucks (LT3) | |
|---|---|---|
| Tail at the end of the bar | Length held in the rear chuck | Zero |
| Support near the cut | Front chuck only | Middle and front chucks |
| Long, heavy tube | Within the chuck rating | Built for it |
| Laser power | 1.5-20 kW | 6-30 kW |
| Tube length | 6, 9 or 12 m | 6 or 12 m |
| Machine price | Lower | Higher |
Specifications
- Models
- LT3-240, LT3-360, LT3-520
- Square chuck
- 240, 360 or 520 mm
- Square and rectangular tube
- up to 240, 360 or 520 mm
- Round tube
- up to Ø240, 360 or 520 mm
- Chucks
- three pneumatic chucks: rear, middle and front
- Tail waste
- zero tail
- Tube length
- 6 m or 12 m
- Laser power
- 6-30 kW
- Laser source
- Raycus, IPG or Max fiber laser
- Control
- CypTube or FSCUT tube system
- Positioning accuracy (X/Y)
- ±0.03 mm/m
- Repeat positioning accuracy
- ±0.03 mm/m
- Cutting accuracy
- ±0.1 mm
- Chuck rotation speed
- 25-120 r/min
- Bevel cutting
- optional bevel head, up to 45°
- Warranty
- 3 years machine, 2 years laser source
Price: USD 30,000 - 150,000 for the machine, depending on model, laser power, tube length and options. Freight and import costs are quoted separately. What sets the price and how to compare quotations.
Accuracy
Optional bevel head
With the optional bevel cutting head the laser tilts up to 45°, so weld preparations are cut in the same set-up as holes, slots and end shapes. Thick-wall tube comes off ready for welding, without a separate bevelling machine or grinding. Without the bevel head the LT3 cuts square to the wall.
What it cuts
| Profile | Typical cuts |
|---|---|
| Round tube and pipe | Holes, slots, intersection and saddle joints, mitres, cut-to-length |
| Square and rectangular tube | Holes on all faces, V-notches for bending, tab-and-slot joints |
| Oval, D-shape and other special tube | Contours and holes within the chuck range |
| Channel, angle and H-sections | Holes, copes and shaped ends within the chuck |
| Weld bevels (with bevel head) | Bevelled ends, holes and intersections up to 45° |
Where it is used
Steel structures
Long, heavy tube for trusses, columns and space frames.
Construction and mining machinery
Thick-wall rectangular tube for booms and frames.
Stainless steel fabrication
Costly tube where zero tail pays back fastest.
Agricultural machinery and trailers
Chassis and frame tube in long runs.
Oil, gas and process piping
Pipe with holes, intersections and weld bevels.
Subcontract tube cutting
Less scrap means sharper quotes.
Before you order: what to send us
| Information | What it decides |
|---|---|
| Largest tube or section | LT3-240, LT3-360 or LT3-520 |
| Tube length and weight per metre | 6 m or 12 m bed |
| Material and thickest wall | Laser power, 6-30 kW |
| Weld bevels needed? | Bevel head option |
| Bars per month and material price | Zero-tail saving |
Why buy from PCL
Since 2005
Factory in Jinan, China.
80+ countries
Machines installed worldwide.
3-year warranty
Machine 3 years, laser source 2 years.
Free test cut
On your tube before you order.
On-site installation
With operator training.
Remote support
By WhatsApp and video.
Related machines
All Tube Laser Cutting Machines
Every model compared.
Compare all models →
LT Series Tube Laser
Two chucks, 240 to 520 mm, 1.5-20 kW.
View machine →
Automatic Loading Tube Laser
Chain or bundle loader.
View machine →
H-Beam Laser Cutting Machine
Large structural sections.
View machine →Other popular machines
Large H-Beam Plasma Cutting Machine
8-Axis Plasma Cutting Machine, All-in-One
Robotic Laser Cutting Machine
Robotic Welding Solutions
CNC Plate Cutting Machine
6-Axis Pipe Cutting Machine
H-Beam Production Line
Pipe Bevel Cutting MachineFrequently asked questions
What is a side-mount three-chuck tube laser cutting machine?
A heavy-duty CNC tube pipe laser cutting machine with the cutting head carried at the side of the bed and three chucks holding the tube: rear, middle and front. The LT3 series cuts round, square and rectangular tube and open sections up to 240, 360 or 520 mm with zero tail waste.
What does zero tail mean?
No remnant is left at the end of the bar. Near the end, the front and middle chucks take over the clamping from the rear chuck and pull the tube through the cutting head, so the last part is cut from the very end of the tube.
Why three chucks instead of two?
On a two-chuck machine the tail held in the rear chuck goes to scrap, and long or heavy tube is supported only at two points. The middle chuck supports the tube next to the cutting head and makes zero-tail cutting possible.
What does side-mount mean?
The cutting head is carried on a beam at the side of the bed instead of on a gantry over the tube. The tube path stays open, which suits large, heavy sections and lets cut parts and slag fall clear.
What sizes do the LT3 models cut?
LT3-240, LT3-360 and LT3-520 are named after the square chuck: square and rectangular tube up to 240, 360 or 520 mm, round tube up to the same diameter, and channel, angle and H-sections within the chuck.
How long can the tube be?
6 m or 12 m beds.
What laser power is available?
6 kW to 30 kW, chosen by the thickest wall and the cutting speed you need.
Can it cut weld bevels?
Yes, with the optional bevel head, which tilts up to 45 degrees. The standard head cuts square to the wall.
How accurate is it?
X/Y and repeat positioning accuracy ±0.03 mm/m and cutting accuracy ±0.1 mm, as reference values; the result depends on the tube and the configuration.
LT3 or LT series?
The two-chuck LT series costs less and suits most carbon steel tube. Choose the LT3 when tail waste matters, for example on stainless steel or long production runs, or when tubes are long and heavy.
What is the warranty?
3 years on the machine and 2 years on the laser source, with on-site installation, training and remote support.
Can I get a test cut?
Yes. Send a drawing or 3D tube file; we cut a sample at our factory in Jinan and send you the video.
Get a quote and a test cut
Send your tube sizes, lengths, material and bars per month. We recommend the LT3 model and laser power and can cut a sample.
What happens next
- An engineer checks your sizes and parts.
- You receive the recommended configuration and a quotation.
- If you want, we cut a sample and send you the video.