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CNC Plasma Cutting Tables
CNC Plasma Tables for HVAC & Sheet Metal Shops
The fitting backlog doesn’t care that a dedicated duct machine costs six figures. An Arclight CNC plasma table cuts the same transitions, elbows, and plenums from the same flat patterns your duct software already produces — at a fraction of the price of a Lockformer- or Vicon-class system — and then cuts the heavy plate those machines can’t touch.
Sheet-metal shops run Arclight tables as their primary fitting cutter, as overflow capacity next to an aging plasma system, and as the one machine that covers everything from 26-gauge galvanized to structural plate. Professional tables from $13,495, with every price published — no mystery quotes.
Trusted By
Built for Shops That Cut Every Day
- Lifetime US-based support that follows the table — even if you buy it used
- Same-day parts shipping when a consumable or component can’t wait
- 3-year motion warranty and a 30-day guarantee
- Digital torch height control (DTHC) standard — the key to clean thin-gauge cuts
What HVAC Shops Cut on an Arclight
If your crews build it at the brake and the seamer, the blank comes off the table. These are the parts sheet-metal shops run on Arclight tables:
- Duct transitions and square-to-rounds — unfold in your duct software, cut the flat pattern, brake, and seam.
- Elbows and gores — batch a full run of gores on one sheet instead of laying them out by hand.
- Plenums and offsets — clean, repeatable blanks for the fittings your crews build most.
- Tap-in collars and takeoffs — the small parts that eat hand-layout time disappear into a nest.
- Damper blades and curb adapters — from gauge-material blades to plate curb frames on one machine.
- Custom one-off fittings — the odd jobs that make a shop’s reputation, cut from a DXF in minutes.
Thin-gauge quality is a setup question, and the setup comes dialed: fine-cut consumables keep the kerf narrow and the dross light on galvanized duct gauge, while DTHC holds torch height steady across a full sheet.
The Right Plasma Table for Duct Work
Match the table to your fitting mix and the plate work you want to stop outsourcing. Every model below runs DTHC standard and carries the 3-year motion warranty.
From $23,395. The HVAC sweet spot. Integrated FlashCut CAD/CAM imports DXF flat patterns straight from your duct software, nests them, and cuts — one program, one operator, no re-drawing.
From $29,295. Arclight’s top seller, built in Bend, Oregon. Heavy-duty construction for production shops cutting fittings all day with plate work mixed in.
From $13,495. The entry point for smaller shops bringing fitting cutting in-house for the first time, running the ARCCNC controller.
Compare the Three Side by Side
For a duct shop the rows that decide it are table size against your longest plate, whether you need oxy-fuel for heavier structural work, and which control software your programmer will run.
Everything else is the same on all three: integrated CAD/CAM software, Hiwin® 20mm linear rails, .001" positioning accuracy, DTHC standard, and lifetime US-based support. Get a quote and we’ll spec the right one against your actual work.
Why Sheet-Metal Shops Choose Arclight
It works with the duct software you already run. Design2Fab and similar duct-fabrication programs unfold fittings into flat patterns and export them as DXF files — and the FlashCut CAD/CAM included with the Arc Pro Elite V3 and Arc Max Elite imports DXF files directly. Your workflow stays exactly what it is today: design the fitting, unfold it, import, nest, cut. No proprietary file format, no re-drawing, nothing new to learn on the design side.
The other half is economics. A dedicated duct-cutting system is a six-figure machine that only cuts duct. An Arclight covers the fitting work and the plate work — equipment stands, brackets, curb frames, pads — for a fraction of the capital. When the labor shortage means the machine has to absorb the backlog instead of headcount, one versatile table beats two specialized ones.
Worth knowing: tables arrive 98% assembled, most shops are cutting within hours of delivery, and a $500 deposit reserves your build slot.
Proof in the Parts
We won’t hand you a staged case study — we’ll show you the work. Arclight tables run in HVAC and sheet-metal shops across the country, cutting transitions, elbows, plenums, and hanger brackets in thin gauge day in and day out. Ask us for cut samples in your gauge and material and put the edge in your own hands before you spend a dollar. And when the backlog is stacked, lifetime US-based support, same-day parts, and a real person on the phone keep the table cutting.
Support That Keeps the Backlog Moving
A fitting cutter that’s down is a shop that’s down, so Arclight treats support as part of the machine. Lifetime US-based support comes with every table and follows the table itself — even secondhand. Parts and consumables ship same-day. The motion system carries a 3-year warranty, and a 30-day guarantee backs the whole machine. When you call, you get a technician who knows the table, not a ticket queue.
HVAC Plasma Table Questions, Answered
Can a CNC plasma table cut galvanized sheet metal?
Yes. Galvanized duct gauge is everyday work for a plasma table fitted with fine-cut consumables, which keep the kerf narrow and edges clean on thin material while DTHC holds torch height steady. The same table also cuts stainless and aluminum, plus the heavy plate a duct-only machine cannot touch.
Is plasma cutting galvanized safe with the zinc fumes?
Zinc fumes are a real hazard, and the honest answer is to manage them, not ignore them. Cutting over the water tray captures most smoke and particulate, and pairing the table with shop ventilation or fume extraction keeps operators clear — the same practice competent shops already follow when welding galvanized.
Does an Arclight table work with duct fabrication software like Design2Fab?
Yes. Design2Fab and similar duct fabrication programs export fitting flat patterns as DXF files, and the FlashCut CAD/CAM included with the Arc Pro Elite V3 and Arc Max Elite imports DXF files directly. Unfold the fitting in your duct software, import it, nest it, and cut — no re-drawing required.
What gauge range can one table cover?
With fine-cut consumables on the low end and the right plasma source on the high end, one Arclight table covers 26-gauge galvanized duct through structural plate. That range is the whole point: fittings in the morning, then equipment stands, angle brackets, and curb frames in the afternoon on the same machine.
How does an Arclight compare to a Lockformer or Vicon system on price?
Dedicated duct-cutting systems from the incumbent brands commonly run well into six figures installed. Arclight professional tables run from $13,495 to $38,995 in the configurations most sheet-metal shops choose, cut the same flat patterns from the same duct software, and also handle plate work a duct-only machine cannot.
Can one table cut duct fittings and heavy plate?
Yes — that versatility is why HVAC shops pick a plasma table over a dedicated duct machine. Swap in fine-cut consumables for 26-gauge fittings, swap back for plate brackets, stands, and curb adapters. One machine, one footprint, one operator covering the full range of work in the shop.
Do I need a downdraft or water table for galvanized?
Either approach works; the goal is capturing smoke and particulate at the source. Arclight tables cut over a water tray, which traps the bulk of galvanized smoke and sparks at the cut, and shop ventilation handles the rest. It is simple, effective, and has no filter cartridges to replace.
How fast can it cut a duct transition or fitting?
Cut time for a typical fitting flat pattern is measured in a couple of minutes, against the half hour of hand layout and snips it replaces. The bigger win is batching: nest a full day of fittings on one sheet and let the table run while your crew assembles and seams.
Quote the Table, Keep the Difference
Tell us your fitting mix, your gauge range, and the duct software you run, and we’ll spec the right table and plasma package for the shop — with real pricing on paper for the owner or the bank. No sales dance, just numbers.
Or contact sales direct
Rather talk it through? Send us a note and an Arclight rep will get back to you.
See how other shops use their tables at our Industries hub.