Settings
80% @ 10 mm/s
Time
1m
Passes
1
Recommended Settings
80% power
10 mm/s, 1 pass
Watts
32W
Time
1m
Type
cut
Inputs
Result
Standard settings for 40W CO2 laser cutting 3mm plywood.
Inputs
Result
(200/0.1) * 200 / 300 = 1333s = 22 min at 0.1mm line spacing.
3mm plywood on a 40W CO2: 80% power at 10 mm/s in 1 pass. 6mm needs 100% at 5 mm/s with 2 passes. Diode lasers need proportionally more passes.
| Material | Power % | Speed | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plywood 3mm | 80% | 10 mm/s | 1 |
| Acrylic 3mm | 90% | 8 mm/s | 1 |
| Leather 2mm | 40% | 15 mm/s | 1 |
| Fabric | 20% | 30 mm/s | 1 |
CO2 lasers (40-100W) cut thicker materials and engrave faster. Diode lasers (5-20W optical) are cheaper but slower and limited to thinner materials. CO2 excels at acrylic; diodes work well on wood.
Engraving time depends on area, speed, and line spacing (line interval). Time = (area height / line spacing) * width / speed. Tighter spacing = more detail but longer time.
CO2 lasers cannot cut metals. Diode lasers can only mark anodized aluminum and stainless steel (not cut through). Metal cutting requires fiber lasers (1000W+) or plasma cutters.
Yarn, fabric, candle making, and DIY projects
Last Updated: Jun 24, 2026
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