OMTech 40W CO2 laser settings guide: cut and engrave reference
The OMTech 40W CO2 is a workhorse machine. At around $400–500, it is one of the most affordable enclosed CO2 lasers available, and 40 watts is enough to cut and engrave the full range of common materials — wood, acrylic, leather, rubber, fabric, and more.
Speed on the OMTech is in mm/s in both LightBurn and RDWorks. Power is a percentage. The settings below are for a tuned machine with the tube in good condition. A worn or misaligned tube will need different values.
3mm Basswood plywood
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | 20 mm/s | 55% | 1 | Air assist on. Clean single-pass cut. |
| Engrave | 300 mm/s | 16% | 1 | 300 DPI. Fast and consistent. |
| Engrave (dark) | 250 mm/s | 20% | 1 | Slower for deeper, darker marks. |
3mm MDF
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | 18 mm/s | 60% | 1 | Air assist essential — MDF smoke is thick. |
| Engrave | 280 mm/s | 18% | 1 | MDF engraves consistently with low contrast. |
3mm Cast Acrylic
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | 12 mm/s | 65% | 1 | Flame-polished edge on cast acrylic. |
| Engrave | 350 mm/s | 12% | 1 | Engrave from back for polished appearance. |
Veg-tan Leather 3mm
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | 22 mm/s | 52% | 1 | Clean sealed edge. |
| Engrave | 250 mm/s | 18% | 1 | Rich dark mark; condition after. |
Slate
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | DPI | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engrave | 350 mm/s | 15% | 1 | 300 | Clean white marks; CO2 very efficient on stone. |
Anodized Aluminum
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engrave | 300 mm/s | 12% | 1 | Marks the anodized coating. Clean and permanent. |
LightBurn vs RDWorks
The OMTech 40W uses a Ruida controller, which works with both LightBurn and the bundled RDWorks software. LightBurn is significantly better for design work, image engraving, and workflow efficiency. It costs $60 for a lifetime license with one machine and is worth it if you use the machine regularly.
RDWorks is functional for basic cut jobs and is included free. If you are cutting simple shapes from a DXF file and do not need to do design work, RDWorks works fine. For anything involving photos, grayscale engraving, or complex layouts, switch to LightBurn.
Maintaining the tube and optics
The OMTech 40W uses a glass CO2 tube cooled by water. Check the water level and colour before every session. The coolant should be clear or lightly tinted — if it has turned yellow or brown, flush and replace it. The tube typically lasts 2,000–3,000 hours. Power gradually drops as the tube ages; if your settings stop producing the results they used to, alignment and optic cleaning first, tube second.
Clean the focus lens and mirrors every 8–10 hours of cutting. Use lens cleaning solution on a cotton swab or lens wipe, not compressed air. Soot on the lens reduces power transmission and can cause the lens to crack from thermal stress. A dirty lens is the most common cause of mysteriously poor performance.
Browse all OMTech 40W settings →"Used it with a Glowforge — engraved beautifully with no changes. I will be purchasing more digital downloads from this shop."
— Anna
"I was struggling with lining up my NFC business cards. I was able to not only line them up much better but also do multiple cards at once — making that job so much easier."
— Camp
"Excellent quality and design. Cut clean and neat!"
— LYNN
"Great jigs. Appreciate the time saved not having to build this from scratch!"
— Bruce
"Excellent quality. Item as described. Expectations exceeded."
— Michael
"This template made my slate coasters so much easier. 4×4 coasters from Michaels drop in easily and are easy to remove. Def worth it."
— chris