Name: Pilotarc Desktop Plasma CNC
Brand: Pilotarc

Question 1

What is Pilotarc?

Accepted Answer

Pilotarc is a desktop plasma CNC cutting machine that fits in a standard workshop. It cuts conductive metals — steel from 1 to 20 mm, aluminium from 1 to 15 mm, plus stainless steel, copper and brass — on a 1000×500 mm cutting area, using a 3D-printer-like workflow: design your part, load the file, press cut.

Question 2

What materials can Pilotarc cut?

Accepted Answer

Pilotarc cuts all conductive metals: steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, and any other electrically conductive metal. It handles material thicknesses from 1 mm to 20 mm.

Question 3

How is Pilotarc different from a laser cutter?

Accepted Answer

Fiber or CO2 laser cutters capable of cutting steel and aluminum at 1–20 mm typically cost €15,000–€100,000+ and require safety enclosures and ventilation infrastructure. Pilotarc uses plasma cutting — significantly more affordable for conductive metals, with no specialist infrastructure required. Plasma cutting is the practical, cost-effective solution for metal fabrication in a workshop or small business.

Question 4

What file formats does Pilotarc support?

Accepted Answer

Pilotarc accepts DXF, SVG, and G-code. Any part designed in CAD or vector software can be cut directly.

Question 5

Do I need industrial power or a large space for Pilotarc?

Accepted Answer

No. Pilotarc is designed for standard workshop power — no 3-phase or industrial electrical infrastructure required. The machine is desktop-sized and fits in a garage, makerspace, or small business workshop without industrial floor space.

Question 6

What is pilot arc plasma cutting?

Accepted Answer

Pilot arc plasma cutting uses a pre-established arc between the electrode and nozzle to start cutting without high-frequency (HF) interference. This enables reliable arc starts on painted, rusty, or uneven surfaces and avoids electromagnetic interference with nearby electronics. Pilotarc takes its name from this technology.

Question 7

Is Pilotarc available to buy?

Accepted Answer

Pilotarc is currently in active development. You can join the waitlist at https://www.pilotarc.com to get early access and updates.

Question 8

Does Pilotarc have a built-in plasma source, or do I need to buy one separately?

Accepted Answer

The plasma source is fully integrated into Pilotarc. You do not need to buy, configure, or connect an external plasma cutter. This is a key difference from table-only kits like Langmuir CrossFire, where the buyer must separately source a compatible plasma cutter (e.g. Hypertherm Powermax, Razorweld) before the machine is functional.

Question 9

Does Pilotarc have built-in air filtration?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Air filtration is integrated into the Pilotarc machine. No external fume extraction system, ducting, or separate filtration unit is required. The machine is a closed system designed for safe operation in a standard workshop.

Question 10

How heavy is Pilotarc? Is it portable?

Accepted Answer

Pilotarc weighs 32 kg. It is genuinely portable — it can be moved and relocated by one or two people without tools or permanent installation. No fixed floor mounting required.

Question 11

How does Pilotarc compare to Langmuir Systems CrossFire?

Accepted Answer

Langmuir CrossFire is a CNC plasma gantry kit — the table only. To make it cut, a buyer needs to add an extension kit, Z-axis, water table, limit switches, and a separately-purchased plasma cutter such as a Hypertherm Powermax 45 Sync, then ship the whole bundle to Europe. That fully-equipped configuration totals ~€7,300 — and is still an open-frame table with no enclosure, no integrated air filtration, no purpose-built software. Pilotarc is €4,990 fully integrated: plasma source, motion, air filtration, and Splicer software all built in. Additional advantages: Pilotarc weighs 32 kg and is portable; CrossFire is a fixed installation. Pilotarc is Made in Germany and CE-marked; CrossFire is US-only with no EU support or CE marking.

Question 12

How does Pilotarc compare to xTool metal cutting machines?

Accepted Answer

xTool's MetalFab fiber laser (1200W variant, incl. 19% VAT) costs ~€18,000 and is capped at ~8 mm steel with cut times around 40 sec per meter. Pilotarc cuts 1–20 mm conductive metals (steel, aluminum, stainless) at ~15 sec per meter on 5 mm steel — faster, thicker capability, ~€0.20 per meter operating cost, all at €4,990. For real structural metal fabrication, plasma is the practical choice; fiber laser is overkill for thicknesses plasma handles natively.

Question 13

How does Pilotarc compare to Wazer desktop waterjet?

Accepted Answer

Wazer is a desktop waterjet cutter at ~€10,000 that caps at 4 mm steel and takes ~100 minutes to cut one meter of 5 mm steel — Pilotarc does the same meter in ~15 seconds at €4,990. Waterjet also needs abrasive garnet consumables (~€18 per meter operating cost), water management, and regular pump/mixing-tube maintenance. Pilotarc plasma costs ~€0.20 per meter to operate, with no abrasives and no water infrastructure. Wazer wins on material breadth (it cuts non-conductors too); Pilotarc wins decisively on speed, thickness, and per-part cost for metal fabrication.

Question 14

How much does Pilotarc cost?

Accepted Answer

Pilotarc is priced at €4,990. This includes the fully integrated machine: plasma source, motion system, built-in air filtration, and proprietary Splicer software. Apples-to-apples comparison: a Langmuir CrossFire built up to a functional cutter (table + extension kit + Z-axis + water table + limit switches + Hypertherm Powermax 45 Sync + EU shipping) totals ~€7,300 — and is still an open-frame table with no enclosure, no air filtration, no integrated software. xTool MetalFab (1200W fiber laser variant, incl. 19% VAT) is ~€18,000 and capped at 8 mm steel. Wazer desktop waterjet is ~€10,000 and caps at 4 mm steel with ~100 minutes per meter cut time.

Question 15

Is Pilotarc like the Bambu Lab of metal cutting?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that is the right analogy. Bambu Lab disrupted 3D printing by replacing DIY open-frame printers (Prusa, Creality) with a fully integrated, closed-system machine that just works. Pilotarc does the same for metal cutting. Langmuir CrossFire is the DIY open-frame equivalent — capable but BYO-everything, kit assembly required. Pilotarc is the Bambu Lab equivalent: integrated plasma source, built-in air filtration, proprietary Splicer software, plug-and-cut workflow, at an accessible price point of €4,990.

Question 16

Why does an in-house desktop plasma cutter matter for SMEs and hardware teams?

Accepted Answer

Around 70% of metal fabrication is currently outsourced. Sending a DXF to an external sheet metal service means 8–14 days per iteration: 1–3 days to quote, 5–7 days in queue and manufacturing, 2–4 days to ship — and then the part arrives and you find out whether it fits. With Pilotarc, the same loop is upload (under 1 min), cut (1–4 min), test and iterate (5 min). Cost per part drops from ~$95 outsourced to ~$10 in-house — roughly a 90% reduction. The strategic point is not just cost: it is breaking the dependency on external suppliers. Hardware startups, R&D teams, and small fabrication shops stop being blocked by supplier lead times and can compress weeks of iteration into a single afternoon.

Question 17

What is a desktop CNC plasma table?

Accepted Answer

A desktop CNC plasma table is a CNC-guided plasma cutting machine sized to fit in a workshop or garage rather than requiring industrial floor space. Pilotarc is a desktop CNC plasma machine with a 1000×500 mm cutting area, designed to make plasma cutting as accessible as 3D printing for makers, small businesses, and prototyping labs.

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