Sculpfun SF-A9 laser settings guide: cut and engrave for common materials
The Sculpfun SF-A9 is a 22W enclosed diode laser. The enclosure makes it safer to run in a home or office setting without a separate safety enclosure — the lid blocks the beam and the built-in exhaust handles most of the fumes. The 22W optical output puts it between the 20W and 33W class machines in terms of cutting ability.
The settings below are starting points calibrated to 22W optical power. The SF-A9 uses LightBurn natively, so all speed and power values are LightBurn-compatible.
3mm Basswood — the most common starting material
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | 4000 mm/min | 70% | 1 | Air assist on. Clean single-pass cut. |
| Engrave | 7000 mm/min | 40% | 1 | Good contrast at 254 DPI. |
| Engrave (fine) | 5500 mm/min | 35% | 1 | 300 DPI for photo or small text. |
3mm MDF
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | 3500 mm/min | 75% | 1 | MDF has glue binders — air assist essential. |
| Engrave | 6500 mm/min | 45% | 1 | MDF engraves with a grey-brown tone. |
3mm Acrylic
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut (cast) | 2000 mm/min | 90% | 2 | Cast acrylic cuts cleaner than extruded. |
| Cut (extruded) | 1800 mm/min | 90% | 2 | May melt and re-seal; test carefully. |
| Engrave | 6000 mm/min | 30% | 1 | Engrave back side for polished look. |
Leather (veg-tan)
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut 2mm | 3500 mm/min | 75% | 1 | Air assist on. Clean sealed edge. |
| Cut 3mm | 2500 mm/min | 80% | 2 | Two passes at lower power = cleaner than one high-power pass. |
| Engrave | 6500 mm/min | 45% | 1 | Darker tone on lighter leathers. |
Anodized aluminum
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engrave | 2500 mm/min | 85% | 1 | Marks anodized coating; cannot engrave bare aluminum with diode. |
Cork 3mm
| Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut | 4000 mm/min | 60% | 1 | Cork cuts very easily — go faster before increasing power. |
| Engrave | 7000 mm/min | 30% | 1 |
Tips specific to the SF-A9
The SF-A9's built-in exhaust fan vents to the rear. Make sure the exhaust hose runs to an open window or external vent before cutting materials that produce significant fumes — acrylic, MDF, and leather in particular.
The air assist on the SF-A9 is integrated and runs automatically when cutting. There is no separate pump to manage. For engraving, you can disable it in LightBurn's layer settings if you find the airflow is disturbing thin materials.
The bed has a honeycomb surface that allows smoke to escape downward. For thin materials that might fall through the gaps, a piece of sacrificial basswood underneath gives you a clean surface to work from without losing the airflow benefit.
See all SF-A9 settings →"Used it with a Glowforge — engraved beautifully with no changes. I will be purchasing more digital downloads from this shop."
— Anna
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