Square & Rectangular Tube | Nevatronix Laser, Las Vegas

Nevatronix Laser cuts square and rectangular tube — the profile behind most welded frames, cabinet skeletons, and racking — from 15 × 15 up to 200 × 200 mm section on a five-axis fiber tube cell. Flat faces are what make square and rectangular section so useful: features land on every face and wrap around the corners, and the parts join into flat-sided frames far more easily than round tube.

Capability envelope

Square / rectangular tube — capability

Section range: 15 × 15 – 200 × 200mm
Max wall thickness: 12mm
Max length: 6.2m
Axes: 5
Hole position tolerance: ±0.1mm
Length tolerance: ±0.2mm
Cutting power: 6kW

Why square and rectangular section is the frame workhorse

A welded frame lives or dies on fit-up, and square section is built for it. Every feature sits on a flat, addressable face, so mounting holes, cable pass-throughs, and fastener patterns are straightforward — and the five-axis cell cuts them on all four faces, including features that turn a corner, in a single indexed program. That is the foundation for two things a saw-and-drill shop cannot easily do:

Corner-wrapping features. A slot or hole pattern that continues from one face onto the next is cut as one continuous feature, not two operations that have to line up.
Tab-and-slot self-fixturing. Interlocking tabs and slots let frame members self-locate and self-square at assembly. A weldment that used to need a custom jig now holds its own alignment, so a less specialized welder can run it and the frame comes out square every time.

Fit-up accuracy across the frame

Because every member is cut off one datum in one setup, the tolerance stack-up that pulls saw-and-drill frames out of square never accumulates. Hole position holds ±0.1 mm feature-to-feature no matter how many features a member carries, and length holds ±0.2 mm. On a rack or cabinet frame with dozens of mounting holes that all have to register, that is the difference between an assembly that bolts together as modeled and one the field crew has to force.

Applications by industry

Square and rectangular tube is the structure behind the equipment we cut for most. In gaming systems it is the cabinet skeleton that everything else mounts to. In material handling it is storage and racking frames. In transportation it is trailer and transport frames where repeatable fit-up matters across a production run. In smart automation it is machine bases and equipment frames. All of it moves to welding with the joints already prepped, for a tube → weld → finish path with no secondary machining.

Design tips for square and rectangular tube parts

Use tab-and-slot for repeatable frames. Design interlocking joints and skip the custom jig.
Put mounting features on the model. Cable pass-throughs, fastener patterns, and access holes cost nothing extra when they are in the program.
Keep wall within 12 mm and section within 200 × 200 mm. That is the cell envelope.
Send the weldment. The full assembly model lets us cut self-locating features that hold alignment at weld-up.

When another profile or process fits better

Railings and round frames. For handrail, hoops, and round members, round tube is the right profile.
Plain cut-to-length. A member with zero or one feature is faster on a saw.
Beyond the envelope. Section over 200 × 200 mm or wall over 12 mm is outside the cell — we coordinate a partner facility.

For how single-setup tube cutting compares to the traditional saw-drill-cope workflow, see our tube and pipe laser cutting overview.

Quoting a frame or tube part

Send a STEP file of the member or the full weldment with section, wall, material, and quantity to our quote page. We confirm the cut is within the 200 × 200 mm envelope and quote from a five-day prototype through production out of our ISO 9001:2015 shop in Las Vegas.

Frequently asked questions

What size square and rectangular tube can you laser cut?

From 15 × 15 mm up to 200 × 200 mm section, with a wall thickness up to 12 mm and length up to 6.2 m (244 in) on our five-axis tube cell. For sections larger than 200 × 200 mm we coordinate with a partner facility — send the part and we confirm the geometry.

Can you cut holes and slots on all four faces of a square tube?

Yes. The five-axis cell indexes the tube and cuts holes, slots, and profiles on every face and around the corners in one program, off a single datum. Features that wrap a corner — a slot that turns from one face to the next — are just coordinates in the program, no re-fixturing.

What is tab-and-slot design and why does it matter for frames?

The laser cuts interlocking tabs on one member and matching slots on another, so the parts self-locate and self-square when assembled — like flat-pack furniture. A frame that used to need a custom welding jig now clamps to itself, which cuts fixturing time, tightens repeatability, and lets a less specialized welder run the joint.

How accurate is the fit-up on a laser-cut frame?

Hole position holds ±0.1 mm feature-to-feature and length ±0.2 mm, because every feature is located off one datum in one setup rather than re-fixtured on a saw and drill. That eliminates the tolerance stack-up that pulls saw-and-drill frames out of square.

What materials do you cut as square and rectangular tube?

Mild steel HSS (square and rectangular), stainless 304 and 316, and aluminum extrusion (6061, 6063), plus structural angle and channel. Wall thickness up to 12 mm across the range.

When should I use square tube instead of round?

Square and rectangular tube is easier to join, mount to, and weld into flat-sided frames, so it is the default for cabinet skeletons, racking, and equipment frames. Round tube is the choice for railing, hoops, and where the look or load distribution calls for it — we cut both.

Square and Rectangular Tube Laser Cutting