Author: Win Zhang Publish Time: 2026-08-10 Origin: SLCNC
Mihajlo is the production manager at a Serbian company that manufactures small aircraft — multirotor drones and fixed-wing UAVs — built primarily from carbon fiber and fiberglass composites. As he put it to me directly: "Your machine can do a lot of jobs in our production, so we decided to buy it." That one-machine-multiple-jobs capability is exactly what I want to walk through in this case, because it's the same question most composite material fabricators are really asking when they look at a carbon fiber and fiberglass cutting machine: can one machine actually handle everything my material mix requires?
If you manufacture drones, UAV components, or other composite structures using both dry carbon/fiberglass fabric and wet prepreg material, this case should answer most of the configuration and logistics questions you're probably working through right now.
Mihajlo's company builds small aircraft using two main material categories: carbon fiber and fiberglass, supplied both as dry fabric and as wet prepreg (pre-impregnated composite material). Those two material states behave very differently under a cutting blade — dry fabric is stiff and abrasive, while wet prepreg is tacky and needs a different cutting approach entirely. Getting one machine to handle both properly, rather than needing two separate machines, was the core requirement driving this purchase.
Mihajlo's raw material comes in roll form, with an unrolled width of 1300mm and roll length up to 8000mm. Based on that, we recommended our 1525 model — a 1.5m working width machine — configured with an automatic feeding system for continuous roll cutting.
The width match is straightforward: a 1.5m working table comfortably fits 1.3m-wide material with margin. Since Mihajlo's largest individual cut pieces run around 2 meters, a 2.5m working table length covers his cutting needs without oversizing the machine. Because the raw material is roll-fed, the auto-feed system lets the machine pull and cut continuously along the roll length, rather than requiring an operator to reposition material after every cut.
For tooling, we configured the machine with both an oscillating knife and a round knife, because Mihajlo's two material states genuinely need different cutting approaches:
Round knife — for cutting dry carbon fiber fabric and dry fiberglass fabric
Oscillating knife — for cutting wet prepreg material
This is the answer to "can one machine handle both materials": yes, but only if it's equipped with both tool types, because a single blade type optimized for dry fabric won't perform correctly on tacky wet prepreg, and vice versa.
Two features came up directly in our technical conversation, and Mihajlo asked for both to be included in his configuration.
Dual-side gantry motor drive. Our gantry uses motors on both sides rather than a single-side drive. Mihajlo liked this specifically because dual-side drive distributes force more evenly and symmetrically across the gantry, which avoids the twisting or skewing that a single-side drive can introduce over time — particularly relevant for a machine that will run continuously on long roll-fed material.
Auto start/stop vacuum table. The vacuum hold-down system activates and deactivates automatically as needed to keep material firmly secured during cutting. Unlike mechanical clamps or fixtures, vacuum hold-down doesn't damage or mark the material surface — an important detail for composite materials destined for aerospace-grade aircraft components.
Mihajlo's team asked a thorough set of questions before committing, and I think the answers are useful for any composite fabricator evaluating a similar machine.
Do you have existing customers in Serbia or Europe?
Yes — we have a number of customers in Serbia already, and Europe is our primary export market.
What support comes with the machine?
We provide free online service support, and the machine carries a 2-year warranty.
Who installs the machine on-site?
The machine arrives fully assembled — no on-site installation is required. Once unpacked, you connect it to your factory's power supply and it's ready to run. We provide a user manual and instructional videos, and we set up a dedicated online service group connecting you directly with our engineers, so any question during actual use gets a timely answer.
How long do the blades last, and can they be sharpened?
On average, one blade lasts around 7-10 days of use, depending on actual usage intensity. Our blades are not designed to be re-sharpened — they're replaced when worn.
What about spare parts?
We ship extra sensors and sliders together with the machine. The other main wearing component is the felt on the vacuum table surface, which typically lasts around 2 years.
Can I upload a cutting file and start the machine remotely from my office?
You can connect the machine to your office computer and upload a drawing from there, and you can start the cutting job remotely. That said, you'll still need to load the material onto the machine table and set the cutting zero position based on where the material actually sits — so some work still has to happen at the machine itself.
Do you require special design software, or can I use standard formats?
The machine's control software reads DXF and PLT format files. You can create your designs in any standard CAD software and export to those formats.
Can the machine cut MDF board?
Yes, but it requires an additional tool — a milling/routing tool. The milling tool is designed for hard materials like wood, acrylic, and even thin metal, which is a different cutting mechanism than the oscillating or round knife.
For any European buyer planning a purchase, the practical logistics matter as much as the technical spec, so here's what applies to a machine of this size.
Delivery timeline. Because of the machine's size, shipment is by sea freight. Production takes approximately 15 days, and ocean transit runs approximately 40 days. Including export customs clearance on the China side and import clearance at the destination port, the total time from order to arrival is typically 70-80 days.
FTA certification. China and Serbia have a Free Trade Agreement in place, and we provide the FTA certificate of origin with the shipment. That lets Serbian buyers claim reduced import duty, which is a direct, real cost saving on top of the machine price itself.
If you're manufacturing drones, UAV airframes, or any composite structure using a mix of dry fabric and wet prepreg, Mihajlo's case illustrates the questions worth working through with any cutting machine supplier before you buy:
Does the tool configuration actually match both your dry and wet material states, or only one?
Does the working table size match your material roll width and your largest typical cut piece?
Is the vacuum hold-down strong enough and non-damaging for aerospace-grade composite surfaces?
What's the realistic total delivery timeline to your country, including customs on both ends?
Does a trade agreement between your country and China reduce your import duty?
Every composite fabricator has a different mix of dry fabric, wet prepreg, roll widths, and finished part sizes — which means the right working table size, feed system, and tool configuration will vary. Share your material types, roll dimensions, and typical cut sizes with my team, and we'll recommend a configuration suited to your production, the same way we did for Mihajlo's team.
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