A fibre laser needs more than a clear patch of floor. Power, extraction, assist gas, access into the building, material handling and operator training all have to be ready before the machine arrives. Sort those points early and commissioning is far less likely to stall.
Mantech supports workshops in the UK and Ireland from machine choice through delivery, installation, commissioning and training. Irish sites are planned and installed by Mantech Ireland.
Still choosing a machine? Start with the fibre laser cutter range or the fibre laser buyer’s guide.
Plan the bay with the machine. Compare formats on the fibre laser hub and size extraction on the Kemper extraction hub.
Match the bay to a current machine in the fibre laser cutter range. Size filtration on the Kemper extraction hub. Check enclosure and interlocks in the fibre laser safety guide. Plan bottles or a compressor with the assist-gas guide.
What to check before the lorry arrives
Exact needs depend on the model and laser power, but every site should settle these points:
- Workshop space for the complete cell
- Delivery and access into the building
- Electrical supply
- Fume extraction
- Assist gas or compressed air
- Material loading and storage
- Space for the chiller and ancillary equipment
- Operator access
- Room for future servicing
Treat them as one installation. A compact Vector FL60 has very different site needs from a Vector FL300 or a larger Titan production system.
Allow space for the whole cell
The cutting bed is not the full footprint. You also need the enclosure, control area, chiller, extractor, ducting, gas or compressor and clear access around the machine.
Material handling needs thought as well. If you cut full sheets, plan where stock sits, how it reaches the bed, and where finished parts and skeletons go. Shuttle tables need extra room for table travel and loading.
A workable layout lets operators load and unload safely, reach the control station, remove scrap, get to consumables and leave space for service engineers.
Examples of working cells are on our installations pages.
Check the delivery route
It is easy to fix the final bay and forget how the machine gets there. Before delivery, walk the path from the vehicle to the install position.
- Yard and vehicle access
- Door and roller-shutter sizes
- Internal doorway widths
- Floor condition and level changes
- Tight corners or restricted areas
- Suitable lifting or handling equipment
Larger fibre lasers are heavy industrial equipment. Flag any access limits before delivery is booked. Mantech can review the proposed position and route with you in advance.
Electrical supply
Supply requirements change with the machine and laser power. Do not size the feed from a generic figure found online. Use the specification for the configuration you are buying. Mantech provides that detail so your electrician can prepare the supply.
Single-phase options
Some compact Vector machines can run where three-phase power is not available. The Vector FL60 is available in 1.5 kW and 2 kW single-phase configurations, alongside three-phase options from 1.5 kW to 3 kW. The FL90 and FL130 ranges also offer selected single-phase configurations up to 2 kW, depending on specification.
That can suit smaller workshops, education sites and businesses bringing metal cutting in-house. Laser power still has to match the material, thickness and volume you intend to cut — not only the available supply.
Three-phase machines
Larger and higher-powered systems generally need an industrial three-phase supply. The Vector FL250 and FL300 use a three-phase AC 380 V 50 Hz supply. Titan production systems are also based around industrial three-phase supplies, with the exact requirement depending on the model, laser power and installed equipment.
Always use the electrical specification supplied with your quotation.
Fume extraction
Cutting heats and vaporises metal, so fumes and particulate have to leave the cutting area and be filtered properly. Match the extractor to the laser — not to a generic workshop unit.
- Laser power
- Machine enclosure and extraction zones
- Materials being processed
- Expected production hours
- Duct length and layout
- Filter capacity and maintenance access
Mantech supplies and supports extraction for fibre laser installations, including Kemper systems. Choose the extractor with the laser so the machine, ducting and filter unit can be planned together.
See the Kemper fibre laser extraction range for more detail.
Ducting and extractor position
The extractor is only half the system. Long or awkward duct runs reduce performance, and a poorly placed unit makes filter changes harder. Decide the laser and extractor positions together, and leave clear access for maintenance once production starts.
Assist gas
Fibre laser cutting usually uses nitrogen, oxygen or clean, dry compressed air. The right choice depends on the material, edge quality, thickness and production priorities. Many workshops use more than one gas.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is widely used for a clean, oxide-free edge on stainless steel and aluminium. Supply can be cylinders, packs, bulk storage or another arrangement suited to your consumption.
Oxygen
Oxygen is common on carbon or mild steel and can help the cutting reaction on thicker plate. Pressure, purity and cutting parameters still need to be right for a consistent edge.
Compressed air
Clean, dry compressed air can be an economical option on suitable jobs. A general workshop compressor is not automatically enough. Moisture, oil or contamination in the airline can spoil the cut and cause problems in the cutting head.
Mantech can supply dedicated compressor packages such as the Denair DAV22-15.5-TI. The assist-gas guide explains nitrogen, oxygen and air in more detail.
Chiller and ancillary equipment
The laser source needs temperature-controlled cooling, so an industrial chiller is part of the install. Depending on the configuration you may also need extraction, an air compressor, gas supply equipment, electrical gear, sheet handling, material storage and scrap containers. Position them so operators and service engineers can still reach the machine.
Material loading and handling
Larger beds make handling more important. A compact machine on smaller blanks may need little extra kit. A 3000 × 1500 mm production machine on full sheets is a different job.
Plan how stock arrives — forklift, crane, vacuum lifter, sheet loader, palletised packs or manual handling on smaller formats. Leave somewhere practical for finished parts, offcuts and skeletons. Slow loading and unloading costs cutting time.
Safety and enclosure
Production fibre lasers use high-powered sources and need proper safety systems. Mantech’s Vector production fibre lasers are enclosed, with safety interlocks and laser-rated viewing panels. Titan configurations include enclosure and safety arrangements suited to each platform.
Machine safety is only part of workshop safety. You still need operator training, risk assessments, controlled access where required, safe material and gas handling, extraction, suitable PPE and clear workplace procedures. Those responsibilities continue after commissioning.
Read the fibre laser safety guide and the notes on open fibre laser systems for more context.
What Mantech includes on installation
Exact package scope is confirmed on the quotation. Current Vector and Titan systems include delivery, installation, commissioning and operator training. Irish workshops are planned and installed by Mantech Ireland.
Depending on the machine, engineers typically cover positioning and setup, levelling and alignment where needed, system commissioning, operational checks, agreed ancillary connections, control training, CAM and nesting workflow, basic operation, routine operator maintenance, consumables and cutting-head guidance, and safe day-to-day use.
Training matches the control supplied. Vector FL60, FL90 and FL130 use Mantech’s UK-designed V-CUT control with V-CAM programming and nesting. Vector FL250 and FL300 use CypCut. Titan systems use FSCUT/CypCut-based controls according to configuration.
Support after commissioning
New materials, thicknesses and jobs will raise questions that did not come up on day one. After installation, customers can reach Mantech’s engineers in the UK or Mantech Ireland. Machines are supplied with a 24-month warranty.
More on after-sales support is in the Mantech support centre.
Site-readiness checklist
Before the delivery date, confirm the following.
Workshop
- Machine position agreed
- Working space around the machine
- Material storage planned
- Loading and unloading route clear
- Service access maintained
Delivery
- External access checked
- Door and shutter sizes confirmed
- Internal route checked
- Lifting or handling equipment arranged
Electrical
- Machine electrical specification with your electrician
- Correct supply installed
- Suitable isolation provided
- Supply ready before commissioning
Extraction
- Correct extraction system selected
- Extractor position agreed
- Duct route planned
- Maintenance access available
Assist gas
- Nitrogen, oxygen or compressed-air requirements agreed
- Cylinders, packs or compressor positioned
- Pipe routes prepared where required
- Pressure and gas specification confirmed
Operators
- Operators available for training
- Workshop procedures in place
- Responsibility for routine maintenance agreed
Talk through the site with the machine
If you are planning a fibre laser for a UK or Irish workshop, discuss the site at the same time as the machine. A floor plan, photographs of the bay, access dimensions and the materials you intend to cut help catch problems early.
Explore the fibre laser cutter range, or call the UK team on 0121 541 1444 or Mantech Ireland on (+353) 83 804 8820. Delivery, installation, commissioning, training and the equipment included are confirmed on your quotation.
Useful next reads
- How to choose a fibre laser
Format, power and platform choice before you fix the site layout.
- Fibre laser safety
Enclosure, interlocks, operator protection and workshop controls.
- Kemper fibre laser extraction
Match extraction to the laser and the materials you cut.
- Assist-gas guide
Nitrogen, oxygen and compressed air for fibre cutting.
- Fibre laser cost guide
Machine, extraction, gas, electrics and supporting equipment.
Frequently asked questions
What electrical supply does a fibre laser need?
It depends on the machine and laser power. Compact Vector models are available in selected single-phase configurations. Larger and higher-powered systems generally need an industrial three-phase supply. Use the specification supplied with your chosen machine.
Can I run a fibre laser from single-phase power?
Selected Vector FL60, FL90 and FL130 configurations are available with single-phase power up to 2 kW. Whether that suits you depends on the materials, thicknesses and production level you need. Higher-powered systems generally need three-phase power.
Does a fibre laser need fume extraction?
Yes. Fibre laser cutting produces metal fumes and particulate that must be extracted and filtered. Match the extractor to the machine, laser power, materials and expected workload.
Can I use compressed air instead of nitrogen?
On suitable materials and jobs, clean dry compressed air can be used as an assist gas. The compressor, dryer and filtration must deliver the required pressure and quality. A normal workshop airline should not be assumed suitable.
How much space should I allow around a fibre laser?
Allow more than the quoted cutting area. The install may also include the enclosure, control station, chiller, extractor, ducting, gas or compressor equipment and material handling areas. Shuttle-table systems can need extra loading and table-movement space.
Does Mantech install and train operators?
Current Vector and Titan fibre laser packages include delivery, installation, commissioning and operator training, with the exact scope confirmed on the quotation. Training is based on the control and software supplied with the machine. Irish workshops are planned and installed by Mantech Ireland.
What information should I provide before ordering?
A floor plan or basic measurements of the proposed area help, together with photographs of the workshop and delivery route. Also share material types, common thicknesses, sheet sizes and expected workload so the full installation can be specified correctly.
