Laser Cutting Settings Table — Power and Speed

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🔴 CO2 — 40W (K40 and similar)

Material	Thickness	Speed	Power	Passes	Est. Kerf	Notes
MDF	3mm	20 mm/s	65%	1	0.15–0.20mm	Clean cut, normal dark edges
MDF	4mm	15 mm/s	70%	1	0.18–0.22mm	May require 2 passes depending on the machine
MDF	6mm	10 mm/s	80%	2	0.22–0.28mm	2 passes recommended
Plywood	3mm	20 mm/s	65%	1	0.15–0.20mm	Varies depending on plywood quality
Plywood	6mm	12 mm/s	80%	2	0.20–0.28mm	Check quality — avoid plywood with interior voids/fillers
Acrylic	3mm	15 mm/s	60%	1	0.10–0.15mm	Leave protective film on during cutting
Cardboard	3–4mm	30 mm/s	50%	1	0.20–0.30mm	Fire hazard — do not leave unattended

🔴 CO2 — 60W–80W (Desktop and Semi-professional)

Material	Thickness	Speed	Power	Passes	Est. Kerf	Notes
MDF	3mm	35 mm/s	55%	1	0.15–0.18mm	Lower power prevents excessive charring
MDF	6mm	20 mm/s	70%	1	0.20–0.25mm	Single pass possible with 70W+
MDF	9mm	12 mm/s	80%	2	0.25–0.30mm	Verify with a test cut
Plywood	3mm	35 mm/s	50%	1	0.15–0.18mm	Adjust according to type (birch vs poplar)
Plywood	6mm	20 mm/s	65%	1	0.20–0.25mm	—
Plywood	9mm	14 mm/s	78%	2	0.25–0.32mm	2 passes for a clean cut
Acrylic	3mm	25 mm/s	55%	1	0.10–0.15mm	Edges with glass-like finish
Acrylic	6mm	15 mm/s	65%	1	0.14–0.18mm	—
Leather/Fabric	2–3mm	40 mm/s	40%	1	0.10–0.15mm	Fume extraction mandatory

🔵 Diode — 10W–40W Optical Output (xTool, Sculpfun, Ortur)

Material	Thickness	Speed	Power	Passes	Est. Kerf	Notes
MDF	3mm	300 mm/min	90%	1–2	0.15–0.22mm	xTool D1 Pro 20W: 1 pass possible
MDF	4mm	200 mm/min	95%	2	0.18–0.25mm	—
Plywood	3mm	350 mm/min	90%	1–2	0.15–0.20mm	Laser-grade Baltic birch recommended
Plywood	4mm	250 mm/min	95%	2	0.18–0.24mm	—
Acrylic	3mm	200 mm/min	90%	2–3	0.12–0.18mm	Colored acrylic only — clear acrylic does not cut well with a diode laser
Cardboard	2–3mm	500 mm/min	70%	1	0.18–0.25mm	Constant supervision mandatory

Adjust in this order

Speed first (it affects the outcome most), then power (fine-tuning). Only change one variable at a time.

Focus is critical

An improperly focused lens can double the kerf. Calibrate the focus before adjusting power or speed.

Plywood varies significantly

The quality of the interior glue in plywood heavily affects the cut. Always buy "laser grade" or "Baltic birch".

Measure kerf after calibrating

Every time you change power or speed, the kerf changes. Use the kerf calculator.

Always keep fume extraction on

Especially with MDF (contains formaldehyde) and acrylic (toxic vapors). No exceptions.

How to use this table

The values in this table are starting points, not definitive settings. Every machine is different — two cutters of the same model can need different settings due to variations in the tube, optics, beam alignment, and lens condition.

The correct process: take the value from this table for your machine and material, run a test cut on a scrap piece, and adjust from there. Two or three test cuts are usually enough to dial in your optimal settings.

Understanding the columns

Power (%) — Percentage of maximum tube or diode power. Very high values (90–100%) accelerate tube wear on CO2 machines. For routine cuts, staying between 70–85% and compensating by lowering speed is better for tube longevity.

Speed (mm/s) — How fast the head moves. Higher speed = less exposure time = shallower cut. Speed has more impact than power on cut quality: adjust speed first, then use power as fine-tuning.

Passes — Number of times the laser traverses the same path. Thicker or denser materials may need 2–3 passes instead of pushing power higher, which reduces accumulated charring per pass.

Frequently asked questions

The cut doesn't go all the way through. What do I do?

First check focus — a defocused lens can cut effective power in half. If focus is correct, lower speed by 5–10 mm/s or add a pass. Avoid raising power more than 5–10% at a time to prevent burning the material.

Edges are too charred. How do I reduce it?

Increase speed and compensate with more power. Excessive charring is almost always from speed being too low. Air assist also helps — if your machine has it, make sure it's active during cutting.

Does kerf change when I change power or speed?

Yes, always. Any change in power, speed, passes, focus, or material changes the kerf. If you adjust cut settings, recalibrate kerf with a test cut before generating your final SVG. Use the kerf calculator for the math.

Do these values work for engraving too?

This table is specific to cutting. Engraving values are completely different: much higher speed (300–600 mm/s), lower power (20–40%), and raster DPI matters. Engraving requires its own calibration separate from cutting.