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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →There is no universal laser setting for wood, acrylic, leather, or coated metal. Start with the manufacturer’s table for your exact laser model, wattage, material subtype, thickness, and operation, then run a small power-and-speed test on scrap from the same batch. A percentage that works on a 5 W diode laser cannot be transferred safely or predictably to a 70 W CO₂ machine.
The figures below are labeled machine-specific starting examples, not presets. Treat them as demonstrations of how published tables are structured, verify your own manual, and adjust one variable at a time.
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Why laser settings cannot be universal
Laser software often asks for speed and power, but those values only have meaning in the context of a particular machine. Power percentage is a fraction of that machine’s rated output. A 50% setting on a 5 W diode laser delivers a very different result from 50% on a 105 W CO₂ laser. Lens, beam profile, motion system, focus, software resolution, air assist, and exhaust also affect the result.
Material labels are equally incomplete. “Wood” can mean balsa, basswood, hardwood, or glue-heavy plywood. Acrylic may be cast or extruded. Leather may be natural or a synthetic laminate with an entirely different composition. A coated metal blank includes both the coating and the underlying metal, and the coating formulation determines whether it marks at all.
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Finally, cutting, engraving, and marking are different operations. Cutting normally uses slower travel and enough energy to penetrate the sheet; engraving uses a raster scan and a controlled surface change. Never copy a cut-speed row as engraving advice.
Published starting examples, kept with their machine limits
This table puts the documented examples side by side so their limits are visible. It does not create a cross-machine recommendation.
| Material and operation | Machine or source | Documented example | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balsa or basswood cutting, 1/8 in, single pass | Boss CO₂ platform | 25 mm/s; 60% on 70 W, 55% on 105 W, 50% on 155 W | Boss chart starting points for those wattage tiers and that stock |
| Birch cutting, 1/4 in | Boss CO₂ platform | 10–20 mm/s; 80% on 70 W, 70% on 105 W, 65% on 155 W | Species and board construction affect the result |
| Birch plywood cutting, 1/4 in | Boss CO₂ platform | 10–20 mm/s; 85% on 70 W, 75% on 105 W, 70% on 155 W | Glue layers and resin content can increase charring |
| Acrylic engraving | Boss CO₂ platform | 350 mm/s; 0.065 mm scan gap; 25% on 70 W, 20% on 105 W, 15% on 155 W | Raster engraving example, not a cutting setting |
| Acrylic cutting, 1/4 in, single pass | Boss CO₂ platform | 10–20 mm/s; 80% on 70 W, 75% on 105 W, 65% on 155 W | Specific to the Boss CO₂ chart and 1/4-inch sheet |
| Artificial-leather engraving | xTool D1 5 W | 85% at 100 mm/s | xTool D1 manual example; not a general leather preset |
| Artificial-leather engraving | xTool D1 10 W | 50% at 100 mm/s | Same listed speed, materially different diode model |
| Coated-metal engraving | xTool D1 5 W | 100% at 60 mm/s | Applies to the manual’s coated-metal example for this model |
| Coated-metal engraving | xTool D1 10 W | 100% at 70 mm/s | Does not establish a setting for another laser or coating |
| Acrylic, leather, and wood average engraving examples | 80 W manual | Acrylic 325 mm/s at 18%; leather 400 mm/s at 16%; wood 200 mm/s at 19% | Broad average examples; verify material, focus, and machine before use |
A repeatable setup and test workflow
- Identify the complete job. Record the laser type (diode, CO₂, or another source), exact model, rated power, material name and supplier, subtype, thickness, and whether you will engrave, mark, or cut.
- Read the applicable machine and material guidance. Use the exact manufacturer table for your model. Check the material supplier’s safety information, especially for plastics, leatherette, adhesives, and coatings. Do not identify an unknown plastic by appearance alone.
- Prepare the machine. Set the correct focus for the material thickness. Re-focus whenever thickness changes. Install the manufacturer-specified exhaust and air-assist arrangement. Air assist can clear smoke from a cut, while exhaust removes fumes from the work area; neither replaces supervision.
- Make a small test matrix. On scrap from the same sheet, board, hide, or coated-metal batch, vary speed and power in a compact grid. Begin conservatively within the manual’s range. Keep the test large enough to see edge quality and small enough to avoid wasting stock.
- Change one factor at a time. If a mark is too light, increase energy gradually by lowering speed or raising power, not both simultaneously. If an edge is scorched, try more speed or less power, and check airflow and focus before making a large change.
- Record the result. Note the batch, thickness, lens or focus position, speed, power, passes, scan gap or resolution, air-assist setting, and observations such as soot, melt, flame, or uneven grain.
- Run the final piece only after verification. Confirm that the material, focus, airflow, and software settings still match the successful test. Stay with the machine during the job.
Wood: species, grain, and plywood construction control the result
For wood, begin with species, plywood type, and thickness rather than with a favorite percentage. Boss notes that grain, density, color, and resin content can change the outcome before a setting change does. Hardwoods generally need more energy for the same engraving depth. Pale woods can show stronger contrast, while prominent grain can make a raster image look uneven. Glue-heavy plywood and resinous boards are more likely to char.
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Documented cutting examples
On the Boss CO₂ platform, the chart lists balsa and basswood at 1/8 inch, single pass, at 25 mm/s with 60%, 55%, or 50% power for 70 W, 105 W, or 155 W machines respectively. For 1/4-inch birch, it lists 10–20 mm/s with 80%, 70%, or 65%. For 1/4-inch birch plywood, it lists 10–20 mm/s with 85%, 75%, or 70%. These are chart entries for those machines and stock; they should not be extrapolated to thicker boards, a different plywood adhesive, or engraving.
Reducing soot and uneven edges
- Use the minimum power that still completes the cut and test a modestly higher speed when the edge is overly dark.
- Increase air assist when the machine and material guidance permit it; clearer smoke removal can reduce soot on a cut edge.
- Check focus across the board. A warped sheet can produce a clean cut on one side and a partial cut on the other.
- Test the actual board, because two sheets sold under the same nominal species can differ in density and glue content.
Acrylic: identify cast versus extruded before engraving
Cast and extruded acrylic do not engrave the same way. Boss describes cast acrylic as producing a bright white, frosted engraving and the clearest cut edge. Extruded acrylic can cut cleanly but commonly engraves more shallowly and with a duller appearance. Confirm the sheet type with the supplier or packaging before selecting a test range.
Boss CO₂ examples
For raster engraving, the Boss example is 350 mm/s with a 0.065 mm scan gap and power of 25% on 70 W, 20% on 105 W, or 15% on 155 W. For cutting 1/4-inch acrylic in one pass, the example is 10–20 mm/s at 80%, 75%, or 65% for those same wattage tiers. The engraving and cutting rows are separate operations and must remain separate in your notes.
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Getting cleaner acrylic edges
- Keep the sheet flat and focused at the manufacturer’s specified height.
- Boss cautions that restrained air at the cut line can help preserve a clear, flame-polished-looking edge. Follow your machine’s airflow guidance rather than assuming maximum air is always best.
- Run a cast-versus-extruded test if the supplier cannot identify the sheet. A setting that produces a white frost on cast acrylic may look gray or shallow on extruded material.
- For a thickness other than 1/4 inch, start over with the manufacturer’s chart and a new test grid; do not scale the speed mathematically.
Leather: verify the composition and watch the process
Leather varies by hide, tanning, surface finish, and thickness. Artificial leather can contain synthetic layers, pigments, or adhesives that react differently from natural hide. Verify the composition and supplier guidance before putting it under the beam.
An 80 W manual gives a qualitative direction of low-to-moderate power at high speed. It states that natural leather is generally engraved slightly slower and at slightly higher power than artificial leather. The same manual’s broad average examples are 400 mm/s at 16% for leather, 200 mm/s at 19% for wood, and 325 mm/s at 18% for acrylic, but those averages are not exact settings for another machine or batch.
The difference between diode models illustrates why percentages cannot be shared: the xTool D1 manual lists artificial-leather engraving at 85% and 100 mm/s for its 5 W model, but 50% and 100 mm/s for its 10 W model. Use those only as model-specific examples.
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- Start with a small logo or swatch on matching scrap, not the finished product.
- Inspect for scorching, sticky residue, smoke, and edge ignition between test squares.
- Use the machine’s appropriate exhaust and never process a leatherette whose composition is unknown.
- Remain at the machine because leather and synthetic laminates can ignite.
Coated metal: the coating is the material being engraved
A CO₂ laser may process a suitable coating applied to metal, but that does not mean it can engrave the bare metal underneath. The 80 W manual says to work on coatings intended for the laser and to follow the coating manufacturer’s instructions because parameters vary with both coating and metal. If the coating burns away and exposes bare metal, stop and reassess rather than continuing with a generic metal preset.
The xTool D1 manual lists coated-metal engraving at 100% and 60 mm/s for its 5 W model, and 100% and 70 mm/s for its 10 W model. Those values describe the D1 examples only. They do not establish settings for a CO₂ or fiber laser, a different coating, or an uncoated blank.
How to diagnose a failed test
The cut does not go through
- Confirm focus and material thickness first.
- Check whether the chart assumes one pass while your job needs a different pass count.
- Use matching scrap to test a small reduction in speed or increase in power, staying within the manufacturer’s guidance.
- Inspect for warped stock, blocked air assist, dirty optics, or inadequate exhaust.
The edge is dark, sooty, or melted
- Try a little more speed or less power while keeping focus fixed.
- For wood, increase air assist if permitted and retest; glue and resin may be the dominant cause.
- For acrylic, check whether excessive airflow is changing the edge finish and follow the machine’s acrylic guidance.
The engraving is faint or uneven
- Verify that the material subtype is correct, especially cast versus extruded acrylic and natural versus artificial leather.
- Check grain direction and density on wood.
- Confirm scan gap, resolution, and focus; these matter as much as the headline power number.
- Repeat the grid on the actual batch rather than copying a result from a different sheet.
What to compare when evaluating a settings chart
Two tables are directly comparable only when they align on all of the following fields:
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- Laser technology and wavelength.
- Rated output and exact machine model.
- Material subtype, coating, and thickness.
- Operation: engraving, marking, or cutting.
- Speed, power, number of passes, resolution or scan gap, and focus.
- Air-assist and exhaust requirements.
A secondary guide may show a broad range, but the exact machine manufacturer’s table should take priority. A 60 W CO₂ example covering several materials, for instance, cannot override the chart for your model or prove that one setting works across all four materials.
Safety essentials
Laser work combines heat, smoke, dust, and potentially hazardous fumes. Use the enclosure, interlocks, exhaust path, and air-assist configuration specified for your machine. Keep the work area clear of flammable debris, never leave an active job unattended, and stop immediately if the material flames unexpectedly. The manuals identify fire, dust, and fume concerns but do not establish one ventilation specification for every installation; local requirements and the machine manufacturer’s instructions control.
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