ShopBot PRS5 Alpha
Image: shopbottools.com, ShopBot
Key Specifications
Rapid Traverse
popular table sizes
footprint 48 48 table
footprint 96 48 table
footprint 96 60 table
footprint 120 60 table
How much does the ShopBot PRS5 Alpha cost?
Price estimate
We do not have a price for the ShopBot PRS5 Alpha that we can stand behind, so we show no number. Configuration, options and installation move the final price a long way: a quote is the reliable figure.
Overview
The ShopBot PRS5 Alpha is a full-size, open-table gantry router that ShopBot calls its flagship: rack-and-pinion drive on every axis, closed-loop motors, a cutting feed of up to 720 in/min (300 mm/s) and rapids of 1,800 in/min (750 mm/s). It is sold as a family of table sizes on one design rather than as a single machine. ShopBot's listed sizes run from 4 x 4 ft to 5 x 12 ft, table lengths can be ordered from 48 to 192 in (1,219 to 4,877 mm), and gantry beam widths from 32 to 108 in (813 to 2,743 mm).
What separates the Alpha from the lower series is the motor system. The drives use Oriental Motor alphaStep closed-loop technology, which monitors position on all axes during the cut. If the tool is pushed too hard it tries to recover instead of silently losing steps, and that is the reason the Alpha is the series to look at for unattended sheet work. Positional resolution is 0.0004 in (0.01 mm).
Take the 96-48 table as the reference size. Its cutting area is 103 x 49 x 8 in (2,616 x 1,245 x 200 mm) inside a footprint of 120 x 79 x 67 in (3,050 x 2,000 x 1,700 mm), so a full sheet fits with room to spare at both ends. Z travel is 8 in as drawn, and ShopBot also offers 14 or 26 in (356 or 660 mm) for thick foam, carvings and fixtures that stand tall.
The base machine is a manual-tool-change router. The 4 x 8 ft configuration ShopBot shows carries a 2.2 hp HSD spindle and ships with 1/4 in and 1/2 in ER25 collets. An automatic tool changer is offered as an upgrade, and the PRS5 Alpha ATC is the same table built with one from the start. Rails differ by axis: precision linear rail and bearings on Y and Z, a hardened steel track on X. The tool arrives as four ready-to-assemble modules, so plan on assembly time or on ShopBot's on-site service.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Popular Table Sizes | 4 x 4, 4 x 8, 4 x 10, 5 x 10 and 5 x 12 ft |
| Footprint 48 48 Table | 72 x 79 x 67 in (1,830 x 2,000 x 1,700 mm) |
| Footprint 96 48 Table | 120 x 79 x 67 in (3,050 x 2,000 x 1,700 mm) |
| Footprint 96 60 Table | 120 x 91 x 67 in (3,050 x 2,310 x 1,700 mm) |
| Footprint 120 60 Table | 144 x 91 x 67 in (3,660 x 2,310 x 1,700 mm) |
| Footprint 144 60 Table | 168 x 91 x 67 in (4,270 x 2,310 x 1,700 mm) |
| Cutting Area 48 48 Table | 56 x 49 x 8 in (1,420 x 1,245 x 200 mm) |
| Cutting Area 96 48 Table | 103 x 49 x 8 in (2,616 x 1,245 x 200 mm) |
| Cutting Area 96 60 Table | 103 x 61 x 8 in (2,616 x 1,550 x 200 mm) |
| Cutting Area 120 60 Table | 127 x 61 x 8 in (3,225 x 1,550 x 200 mm) |
| Cutting Area 144 60 Table | 151 x 61 x 8 in (3,835 x 1,550 x 200 mm) |
| Z Axis Travel | 8, 14 or 26 in (203, 356 or 660 mm) |
| Table Length Range | 48 to 192 in (1,219 to 4,877 mm) |
| Gantry Beam Width Range | 32 to 108 in (813 to 2,743 mm) |
| Cutting Feed Rate | 720 in/min (300 mm/s) |
| Rapid Traverse Rate | 1,800 in/min (750 mm/s) |
| Positional Resolution | 0.0004 in (0.01 mm) |
| Drive System | Rack-and-pinion power transmission on each axis |
| Drive Motors | Closed-loop control system using Oriental Motor alphaStep technology |
| Linear Guides | Precision linear rail and bearings on Y-axis and Z-axis; hardened steel track on X-axis |
| Machine Weight | 900-1,500 lbs (machine only, depending on options) |
| CNC Control | ShopBot control software; sealed industrial UL certified control box |
| Software | Vectric VCarve Pro (standard) |
| Collets | 1/4 in and 1/2 in ER25 collets included (1 each) |
Specifications sourced from shopbottools.com — verified 2026-10-05
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Closed-loop alphaStep motors monitor position on all axes during cutting, so a stalled or overloaded move is caught instead of ruining the rest of the sheet
- Cutting feed up to 720 in/min (300 mm/s) and rapids of 1,800 in/min (750 mm/s), against 480 in/min and 720 in/min on the Carolina
- Table lengths from 48 to 192 in (1,219 to 4,877 mm) and gantry beam widths from 32 to 108 in (813 to 2,743 mm) on the same design
- Z travel can be ordered as 8, 14 or 26 in (203, 356 or 660 mm)
- Positional resolution of 0.0004 in (0.01 mm), finer than the 0.0006 in of the Carolina
- Accessory list includes a 6 in or 12 in rotary indexer, an air drill, a tangential knife and a 3D digitizing probe
Limitations
- Rack-and-pinion transmission on every axis, including Z; there is no ball screw anywhere on the machine
- Tool changes are manual on this model; the automatic tool changer is an upgrade or means choosing the PRS5 Alpha ATC
- Ships as four ready-to-assemble modules, so the machine has to be assembled and squared on site
- The X axis runs on a hardened steel track, not on the linear rail and bearings used for Y and Z
- ShopBot's table gives no spindle speed, spindle torque or accuracy figure for the PRS5 Alpha
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
ShopBot lists 4 x 4, 4 x 8, 4 x 10, 5 x 10 and 5 x 12 ft as the usual sizes. Beyond those, table lengths are available from 48 to 192 in (1,219 to 4,877 mm) and gantry beam widths from 32 to 108 in (813 to 2,743 mm). The 96-48 table has a cutting area of 103 x 49 x 8 in (2,616 x 1,245 x 200 mm); the 144-60 table has 151 x 61 x 8 in (3,835 x 1,550 x 200 mm).
02
Both use the same PRS5 table design. The Alpha has closed-loop motors, cuts at up to 720 in/min and rapids at 1,800 in/min, with 0.0004 in resolution. The Carolina tops out at 480 in/min cutting and 720 in/min rapid, with 0.0006 in resolution. The Carolina also stops at 8 in of Z travel and at table lengths of 96 in, while the Alpha goes to 26 in and 192 in.
03
The maximum cutting speed is 720 in/min (300 mm/s) and the maximum rapid speed is 1,800 in/min (750 mm/s). ShopBot notes that the usable cutting speed depends on the bit and the material, so treat 720 in/min as the ceiling of the drive system and not as a feed for every job.
04
Not as standard. This model is a manual-change machine that ships with 1/4 in and 1/2 in ER25 collets. ShopBot offers the automatic tool changer as an upgrade for existing machines, and sells the PRS5 Alpha ATC with a 5 hp tool-change spindle and a 9-position tool bar already fitted.
05
It depends on the table. The 48-48 machine has a footprint of 72 x 79 x 67 in (1,830 x 2,000 x 1,700 mm). The 96-48 needs 120 x 79 x 67 in (3,050 x 2,000 x 1,700 mm), and the 144-60 needs 168 x 91 x 67 in (4,270 x 2,310 x 1,700 mm). Machine weight is 900-1,500 lbs depending on options, and the open table lets sheets load from any side.
