Explainer: Do you need to set
40 Watt Laser Cut Settings for Wood?

• Introduction
• Conclusion

Laser-cutting machines have made a significant shift in woodworking as they offer clean and accurate crafting and also expand your creative possibilities. Many DIY and small business owners use rather quite a common specification of a 40-watt laser cutter, which is considered a standard for such projects. This number has now taken as standard into the entire industry and has a deep impression on every DIY business dealing with wood sheets for their projects. But why though?

If you recall the basics of wood engraving and cutting, the final result on the surface is controlled with the right balance between power speed and focus. Power dictates how bright the laser will be on your wood, and the speed is how fast the laser scans the material. You also have to consider focus, which controls how near the laser is to the wood. Other factors are wood type and thickness, and for each parameter, the before-mentioned settings will be different to get the desired results.

1. MDF

Medium-density fiberboard is one of the most commonly used woods for DIY projects due to its uniform density and smooth surface. This makes it ideal for both cutting and engraving wooden surfaces. For this, go with a range of 90-100% with a speed of 8-15 mm/s when cutting and 150-250 mm/s when engraving on MDF. Also, 1-2 passes for cutting through a common width of 3mm is enough but ensures accurate focusing for better results with your 40-watt laser cutter.

2. Hardwood

As the name suggests, they are hard due to more dense mass and require more power. For them, tune to 100 percent of laser power with the speed of 5-10 mm/s (cutting), 100-150 mm/s (engraving), and at least 2 passes for cutting thicker pieces of hardwood ranging from 4 to 6mm widths. Cutting the hardwood too deep in a single pass can cause excessive burning and to avoid that, ensure that your focal point is accurate.

3. Softwood

Being less dense, it requires 10 to 90% power from your 40-watt laser cutter with a speed of 10-20 mm/s for cutting and 150-200 mm/s for engraving. Mostly, one pass will be enough for a 3mm softwood, but maintain accurate focus to avoid over-burning as they are more prone to burning.

For softwood and other wood types mentioned here, we recommend using the Ortur LM3 laser cutter, where accuracy and extreme safety operation are required. It packs the next-generation laser module with spot-on accuracy and an air assist system that avoids the softwood burn by actively removing debris and maintaining ventilation.

4. Wood Veneer

Same as softwood, it is also quite soft and thin; it requires 50 to 70% of power settings with speeds of 15-25 mm/s for cutting and 200-300 mm/s for engraving. Normally, 1 pass should be sufficient for cutting veneer and probably requires the most care with focus when tuned for a 40 watt laser cut settings for wood of this type.

5. Plywood

It is basically multiple layers of wood veneer stacked on each other and works best for most of the wooden DIY projects out there. For this wood, tune your power between 80 to 100 percent with speed ranging from 10-20 mm/s for cutting and 150-200 mm/s for engraving. We recommend doing 1-2 passes for cutting through 3mm plywood and more if the width increases. Also, ensure that your laser is focused directly on the surface of the plywood for cleaner cuts.