Most shops running plasma and oxyfuel each own a separate table, a separate control system, and the floor space to hold both. A custom CNC cutting machine built around your actual material mix removes that duplication. Cutting Systems can custom-engineer a single gantry to run high-definition plasma and oxyfuel torches together, so one machine covers the mid-thickness plate and the heavy plate that used to mean two separate stops. Fiber laser runs on a separate machine for thin-gauge sheet. For a shop weighing its next cutting investment, that consolidation is often the difference between adding square footage and using the floor space already there better.
Why Shops Are Consolidating Cutting Processes on One Machine
Every additional table on the floor is another footprint, another control system to train operators on, and another maintenance contract to manage. When a shop’s material mix spans mid-thickness through heavy plate, running two single-process machines means routing parts between stations and scheduling around whichever table is free. Multi-process CNC cutting on one gantry collapses that routing into a single job setup. The part moves once, not twice, and the shop is managing one machine’s uptime instead of two.
What a Multi-Process Gantry Actually Combines
Fiber laser, plasma, and oxyfuel each cover a different part of the thickness range, and the value of having all three available is coverage, not redundancy. Fiber laser handles thin to mid-gauge material with the tightest kerf and cleanest edge. Plasma extends into a thicker plate at higher cut speeds than the laser can hold. Oxyfuel takes over where plasma’s economics fall off, cutting heavy plate that would be slow and costly to run on a plasma system alone. Plasma and oxyfuel run together on one gantry. Fiber laser runs on its own machine.
Cutting Systems’ custom engineering team can build a single gantry that supports high-definition plasma and oxyfuel torches, and can help you choose a separate fiber laser machine to go with it, so the machine’s process matches the part rather than routing the part to match whichever machine is available.
Kodiak: Cutting Systems’ Dual-Process Plasma and Oxyfuel Platform
For shops that need plasma and oxyfuel on one machine without the full custom build, the Kodiak CNC plasma and oxyfuel cutting machine is built for exactly that combination. Kodiak runs cutting widths from 6 to 30 feet and lengths from 10 to 250 feet, with up to 12 oxyfuel torches standard alongside Hypertherm plasma systems from 200 to 800 amps. That covers plasma cutting up to 6.25 inches thick and oxyfuel up to 24 inches, on one heavy-duty CNC gantry. It’s the standard platform for shops that need a plasma oxyfuel cutting machine without fully custom specs.
Engineering a Plasma and Oxyfuel Machine Around Your Material Mix
When a shop’s plasma and oxyfuel mix goes beyond Kodiak’s dual-process spec, a standard machine isn’t the full answer. That’s where Cutting Systems’ custom engineered solutions come in: an engineered-to-order cutting system built around the specific material range, torch count, and bridge width a shop actually runs. Bridges can extend beyond the standard 30-foot maximum, and torch configurations are built per application rather than off a fixed spec sheet. That’s what makes a true custom plasma and oxyfuel machine possible: it isn’t a catalog item; it’s a gantry engineered to the shop’s material mix from the start. Shops that also run fiber laser add it as a separate machine, and we can help you choose the right combination.
What to Specify When You Build a Custom CNC Cutting Machine
A custom quote moves faster and lands closer to the right machine on the first pass when the shop comes in with these specifications:
- Material thickness range across the mix. The thinnest and thickest parts you cut regularly, not just the average job.
- Torch count and spacing. How many heads run simultaneously and how far apart parts are typically nested.
- Bridge width. Driven by your widest plate or sheet, plus clearance for material handling.
- Power supply match. Plasma amperage (200 to 800A) sized to your thickest plasma cuts, not your thinnest.
- Control system integration. Whether the gantry needs to share programming or nesting software across processes.
Where a Multi-Process Machine Pays Off Fastest
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a multi-process CNC cutting gantry?
A multi-process gantry runs more than one cutting technology, such as plasma and oxyfuel, on a single machine frame instead of separate tables for each process.
Can plasma and oxyfuel really run on the same machine?
Yes. Cutting Systems’ Kodiak line is built specifically for this, running up to 12 oxyfuel torches alongside 200- to 800-amp Hypertherm plasma systems on the same gantry.
Can fiber laser be added to a plasma and oxyfuel system?
Not on the same gantry. Cutting Systems offers fiber laser machines separately and can help you choose the combination of machines that fits your material mix.
How wide can a custom CNC gantry be built?
Standard cutting widths run 6 to 30 feet. Custom-engineered solutions can extend beyond that where a shop’s material or handling requirements call for it.
How do I get a quote for a custom multi-process machine?
Contact Cutting Systems with your material thickness range, torch count needs, and bridge width requirements to start a custom-engineered solutions quote.