Laser cutting &
engraving, dialed in.
Starting power/speed settings by material and thickness, the dials that actually matter, acrylic know-how, and a hard list of what you must never put in a laser.
The six dials that decide everything
Master these and you can dial in any material.
Power
How much energy hits the material. More power = deeper cut / darker engrave, but too much scorches and melts edges.
Speed
How fast the head moves. Slower = more heat per spot (deeper). Power and speed always work as a pair.
Passes
Thick stock? Two or three lighter passes beat one brutal pass — cleaner edge, less flare-up.
Frequency / PPI
Pulses per inch. Lower frequency on acrylic gives a smoother flame-polished edge; higher suits wood.
Air assist
Always on for cutting. Blows smoke and flame off the cut, protects the lens, stops charring.
Focus
Beam waist on (or just into) the surface. Off-focus = wide, weak, fuzzy cut. Re-focus for every thickness.
Rule of thumb: to cut deeper, drop speed before you max power. To engrave darker on wood, add power before you slow down. Change one variable at a time.
Starting settings — by material & thickness
Typical CO₂ laser starting points. Pick your machine power and material.
| Material | Thickness | Job | Power | Speed | Passes | Notes |
|---|
Power = % of machine output. Speed in mm/s (convert if your machine uses %/“in/s”). These are starting points only — lens, air assist, focus, brand of acrylic and machine age all shift them. Always run a small test on scrap first.
Acrylic, done properly
The material we get asked about most.
Pick the right sheet
Cast engraves a bright frosty white — best for engraving and signage. Extruded cuts with a clearer, flame-polished edge and is cheaper. For engraved signs, use cast.
Flame-polished cuts
One pass at full power, slower speed, air assist low-to-moderate, beam focused at/just below the surface gives a glossy edge. Too much air = frosty, hazy edge.
Thick sheets
Past ~8–10 mm, expect slower single passes or a two-pass approach. Keep the work flat and the lens clean to avoid taper.
Engrave & protect
Leave paper/film masking on while cutting to protect the gloss; remove it for engraving so the frost shows crisp.
Never laser polycarbonate (Lexan) thinking it’s acrylic — it yellows, burns and won’t cut clean. Acrylic = PMMA / “plexiglass”. Check the label.
Never put these in a laser
- PVC / vinyl / faux leather — releases chlorine gas: poisons you and corrodes the machine.
- Polycarbonate (Lexan) — burns, yellows, catches fire, cuts terribly.
- ABS — melts and gives off cyanide/toxic fumes.
- Fiberglass & carbon fiber — toxic dust and resin fumes.
- Coated / galvanized / treated metals — toxic metal-oxide fumes (and CO₂ won’t cut bare metal anyway).
- Anything unknown or chlorinated — if you can’t confirm the material, don’t.
Always: run exhaust/ventilation, keep air assist on, never leave a running laser unattended, and keep a CO₂/ABC extinguisher within reach. A flame that doesn’t self-extinguish means stop now.
Don’t have a laser? We do.
Laser cutting and engraving on acrylic, wood, leather, anodized aluminum and more — plus design and installation. Across BC and shipped worldwide.