OMTech 80W CO2 Settings & Speeds

Where to buy

Buy the OMTech 80W CO2 — check current price & availability

Finer DPI ceramic tile pass. Norton White Tile method: apply white gloss spray, engrave, wipe clean. Produces black marks on white tile.

Ceramic tile CO2 engrave — use white tile method (coat with white spray paint) or Cermark for best results. Bare tile requires high power and may crack.

Plywood surface engrave for designs. Mask with transfer tape to reduce smoke residue on light wood.

Generic plywood CO2 cut — thickness determines passes. 3–4mm usually 1 pass at these settings. Check for glue voids in cheaper ply.

Black acrylic engrave — CO2 removes surface to expose lighter core. Low power prevents warping. Leave protective film on during engraving.

3mm black acrylic CO2 cut — cast acrylic gives polished flame edge. Extruded acrylic may crack; cast recommended.

MDF surface engrave for designs and text. Low power prevents scorching the filler-heavy surface. Mask with transfer tape for clean edges.

3mm MDF CO2 cut — single pass. MDF fumes are significant; ensure good ventilation. Air assist strongly recommended.

Fine detail bamboo engrave for photo or intricate designs. Slower at same power gives deeper, darker marks.

Bamboo CO2 engrave — denser than basswood, needs slightly more power or fewer speed. Good for cutting boards and utensils.

Basswood CO2 cut — single pass on thin sheet (3mm). Increase to 2 passes for denser hardwood batches.

Basswood CO2 engrave — fast pass for deep bold marks. Reduce speed for finer detail or photo engraving.

Finer DPI anodized aluminum pass for text and logo detail on CO2. Avoid over-powering which burns through anodize to bare metal.

CO2 engraves anodized aluminum by removing the dye layer. Bare aluminum requires Cermark — anodized surfaces work directly.

Slower Cermark pass for bolder, more durable marks on stainless steel. Extend drying time after applying spray for best bond.

CO2 stainless steel mark with Cermark coating. Apply thin even coat, engrave, wash with water. Without Cermark CO2 cannot mark bare stainless.

Fine detail glass engraving. Slow pass with higher DPI for portrait or text on tumblers and wine glasses.

CO2 glass engrave — low power to frost without cracking. Apply wet newspaper or dish soap over surface to reduce micro-fractures.

Higher DPI marble engrave for fine detail portraits. Wipe surface before engraving for consistent results.

Marble CO2 engrave — ablates surface cleanly. Start at lower power end; increase if mark is faint on light-colored marble.

Finer DPI pass for photo or detailed artwork on slate. Slight power reduction to avoid over-ablation.

CO2 slate coaster engrave — 300 DPI for bold logos and text. Wipe with damp cloth after engraving to reveal the bright mark.

500 DPI gives finer stamp detail. Deeper engrave = higher relief = crisper impression. Always test on scrap first.

9mm birch engraves cleanly. For deeper relief reduce speed or raise power.

9mm birch requires many passes on diode — CO2 is recommended at this thickness. Pin material flat. Air assist on all passes.

5mm plywood engraves well. Deeper relief: reduce speed or increase power slightly.

5mm plywood requires multiple passes on diode — pin material flat between passes. Air assist essential.

2mm basswood engraves with deep contrast. 300 DPI is the sweet spot — higher increases burn time significantly.

2mm basswood cuts in a single pass on most diode lasers. Air assist keeps the cut clean and reduces char.

CO2 wavelength is absorbed by clear acrylic — diode lasers pass straight through. Keep power low for engrave to avoid melt.

6mm clear acrylic needs more power than 3mm. Air assist essential to prevent melt-back. Cast acrylic gives polished flame-cut edges.

Tinted acrylic cuts cleaner than clear on diode lasers because the pigment absorbs the beam. Air assist prevents melt-back.

Tinted acrylic engraves cleanly — pigment absorbs the beam well. Adjust power for contrast.

Ablates spray paint to reveal bare metal. Thinner than powder coat so needs less power. Reduce power if paint splatters. Clean with IPA first.

Ablates powder coat to expose bare metal. Clean with IPA first. No Cermark needed. For bare steel, use fiber laser settings instead.

Engrave from the BACK side for a clean mirrored result.

Cast acrylic cuts cleaner than extruded.

Invert design — black areas engrave deep for good stamp relief.

CO2 cuts faux leather cleanly. Avoid PVC-based faux leather — emits chlorine gas.

Thick bamboo (10–15mm) — engrave only. Great contrast for personalised gifts.

Generic plywood varies by species and glue. Test first.

80W can overburn leather quickly. Start at 15% and test before full run.

Bamboo engraves with great contrast at 80W. Air assist on at low flow.

80W scales 20% faster than 60W for same engrave depth. Watch for glue-layer discoloration.

Vector score to remove top layer only. Remove masking first.

Keep masking on during cut. Use air assist.

Remove masking before engraving. No air assist. Engrave bottom-up.

Cork 3mm on 80W CO2 at very low power. No air assist.

Plywood in one pass at 65% on 80W.

Clear acrylic cuts cleanly on 80W CO2 in one pass.

Cork cuts easily on 80W CO2 at low power. No air assist.

Leather cuts cleanly on 80W in one pass at moderate power.

Cardboard cuts at very low power on 80W. Disable air assist to prevent fire risk.

Bamboo one pass on 80W at 65%. Dense material benefits from higher power.

Basswood cuts easily on 80W. Keep power moderate to avoid excessive char.

Baltic birch in one pass on 80W at 60%.

Cardstock cuts cleanly on 80W CO2. Very low power needed — keep speed high.

Equivalent to ~50mm/s. Extrapolated from LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/new-to-co2-laser-question-omtech-polar-350-cutting-cardboard/143936) and CAMFive 80W chart. Cardboard is flammable — watch for flare-ups. Air assist essential. Single-wall corrugated at 40% power cuts cleanly; chipboard or double-wall may need 50–60% power or 2 passes. Never leave unattended.

Equivalent to ~10mm/s. From LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/leather-engraving-and-cutting/98726). User reports 10mm/s at 45% on 50W OMTech — scale slightly for 80W by increasing speed to 12–14mm/s (720–840mm/min) at same power. Use 1 pass. Moderate air assist to avoid scorching edges. Thicker leather (4–5mm) may need 2 passes.

Equivalent to ~150mm/s. From LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/leather-settings-pictures-attached/31830) and OMTech leather guide (omtech.com/blogs/tips/best-laser-engraving-leather-settings). DPI: 300 LPI. Low power prevents burning through. Vegetable-tanned leather gives best results. Chrome-tanned leather releases toxic fumes — confirm leather type before use. Light air assist only (5–8 PSI).

Equivalent to ~15mm/s. From LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/ruida-64xxg-c02-laser-80w-for-cutting-9mm-deep-into-18mm-plywood/18673) and community LA Hobby Guy (lahobbyguy.com). Voids in cheap plywood require 2 passes; premium birch (Baltic BB grade) often cuts in 1 pass at same settings. High air assist (20+ PSI). Keep power ≤80% to protect tube.

Equivalent to ~330mm/s. CO2 at 10.6µm ablates the anodized dye layer — does NOT mark bare aluminum. Starting point from LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/is-it-possible-to-engrave-aluminum-parameters/28508) and CNCSourced guide. Run at max speed the machine can handle at 70–80% power. DPI: 300–500 LPI. Results vary significantly by anodizing color/thickness — always run a test strip. Light blue/black anodizing responds best.

Equivalent to ~25mm/s. Cross-referenced from LightBurn forum 80W MDF discussions and CAMFive 80W/100W power settings chart (camfivelaser.com). High air assist (20+ PSI) critical to clear MDF smoke and prevent flare-ups. MDF glue content varies — run a test cut first. Increase to 2 passes if using dense or moisture-affected MDF.

Equivalent to ~66mm/s. Reported on LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/best-setting-for-engraving-slate/35426) and LA Hobby Guy community (lahobbyguy.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2916). Range is 3000–5000mm/min at 45–65%. Air assist OFF — blowing air scatters slate dust unevenly and can prevent the whitening effect. DPI: 300 DPI. Wipe slate clean after engraving.

Equivalent to ~400mm/s. High speed + low power for cast acrylic produces a bright frosted white engrave. DPI: 254–300 LPI. Source: LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/acrylic-cutting-and-engraving/68186) and OMTech knowledge base (omtech.com/blogs/knowledge/material-settings-for-laser-engravers). Reduce power if engraving goes too deep.

Equivalent to ~20mm/s. Community consensus from LightBurn forum (forum.lightburnsoftware.com/t/omtech-80w-laser-won-t-cut-through-acrylic/110337) and CNCZone reports 18–22mm/s at 60–70% for clean single-pass cuts on cast acrylic. Use LOW air pressure (8–12 PSI) to avoid frosting the edge. Extruded acrylic may need 1 extra pass.

12mm MDF at 80W. Single pass but generates very heavy fumes — run strong ventilation. Slight edge char is normal for this thickness.

Cermark on mugs with rotary. 80W needs lower power than smaller machines. Thin even coats of Cermark work better than thick ones.

Walnut at 80W. Low power, high speed. Premium results for high-end products.

Apply Cermark, dry, laser, wash. Permanent fused mark on tile.

Very low power at 80W. Easy to burn leather. Test on scrap — always.

Excellent flame-polished cut on 6mm acrylic. One pass at 80W.

80W cuts 12mm clean in one pass. Check lens and mirror alignment for thick cuts.

Very fast. 400mm/s is achievable at 80W for fill engrave.

80W is plenty for thin wood. Use low power to prevent burning. Single fast pass.

What materials can the OMTech 80W CO2 engrave or cut?

The OMTech 80W CO2 has community-tested settings for Ceramic Tile, Plywood, 3mm Black Acrylic, 3mm MDF, Bamboo, Basswood, Anodized Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and 41 more. Results vary by material batch, focus, and ambient conditions — always test on scrap first.

What settings should I use to cut Plywood on the OMTech 80W CO2?

A community-tested starting point is speed 40 mm/s, power 50–60% in a single pass. Enable air assist for a cleaner edge. Always run a test cut on scrap to confirm before committing to your project.

What can a CO₂ laser like the OMTech 80W CO2 cut that a diode laser cannot?

CO₂ lasers can cut and engrave clear acrylic, glass (with care), fabric, and thicker wood more cleanly than diode lasers, because the CO₂ wavelength is absorbed by materials that are transparent to diode light. This makes the OMTech 80W CO2 more versatile for craft and production use.