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Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)

12 settings8 machines

This page lists 12 community-tested settings for Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm). Paper cuts cleanly on both diode and CO₂ lasers - the key is high speed and low power to avoid charring and burning. Thinner paper (80gsm) needs less power than cardstock (200–300gsm). Air assist is usually not needed and can cause tearing on lightweight sheets.

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Top setting per machine

MachineOpSpeedPowerPasses
OMTech 40W CO2engrave200 mm/s15%1
Sculpfun S30 Proengrave450 mm/s28%1
xTool D1 Proengrave400 mm/s30%1
Glowforge Procut85 mm/s42%1
Glowforge Basiccut85 mm/s42%1
OMTech 60W CO2cut100 mm/s35%1
Ortur Laser Master 3cut150 mm/s100%1
xTool S1engrave500 mm/s20–25%1

Works with these machines

OMTech 40W CO2Sculpfun S30 ProxTool D1 ProGlowforge ProGlowforge BasicOMTech 60W CO2Ortur Laser Master 3xTool S1

12 settings

OMTech 40W CO240Wco2
engrave
Speed200 mm/sPower15%Passes1DPI300

Light surface engrave without cutting through. Keep power low.

Shop OMTech 40W CO2 →More settings for this machine →
Sculpfun S30 Pro33Wdiode
engrave
Speed450 mm/sPower28%Passes1DPI300

Light surface engrave without cutting through. Keep power low.

Shop Sculpfun S30 Pro →More settings for this machine →
xTool D1 Pro20Wdiode
engrave
Speed400 mm/sPower30%Passes1DPI254

Light surface engrave without cutting through. Keep power low.

Shop xTool D1 Pro →More settings for this machine →
Glowforge Pro45Wco2
cut
Speed85 mm/sPower42%Passes1

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

Shop Glowforge Pro →More settings for this machine →
Glowforge Basic45Wco2
cut
Speed85 mm/sPower42%Passes1

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

Shop Glowforge Basic →More settings for this machine →
OMTech 60W CO260Wco2
cut
Speed100 mm/sPower35%Passes1

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

Shop OMTech 60W CO2 →More settings for this machine →
OMTech 40W CO240Wco2
cut
Speed80 mm/sPower45%Passes1

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

Shop OMTech 40W CO2 →More settings for this machine →
Ortur Laser Master 310Wdiode
cut
Speed150 mm/sPower100%Passes1

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

Shop Ortur Laser Master 3 →More settings for this machine →
Sculpfun S30 Pro33Wdiode
cut
Speed250 mm/sPower85%Passes1

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

Shop Sculpfun S30 Pro →More settings for this machine →
xTool D1 Pro20Wdiode
cut
Speed200 mm/sPower90%Passes1

Go fast to avoid charring the flutes. No air assist — prevents material movement. Pin corners down.

Shop xTool D1 Pro →More settings for this machine →
xTool S140Wdiode
engrave
Speed500 mm/sPower20–25%Passes1DPI300
Shop xTool S1 →More settings for this machine →
xTool S140Wdiode
cut
Speed300 mm/sPower80%Passes1
💨 Air Assist★★★★★

Cardboard cuts very easily with the 40W S1. Community support threads and the xTool official cardboard guide suggest 80% power at 300mm/s cuts corrugated cleanly in 1 pass. For thinner chipboard/craft board (~1–2mm): 50% power at 400mm/s is sufficient. Air assist recommended to prevent scorching and flare-up on cardboard fibers. Adjust power down for single-ply cardstock and up for double-wall corrugated. Source: xTool laser cutting cardboard guide (xtool.com/blogs/xtool-academy/laser-cut-cardboard); xTool support community cutting speed/power thread (support.xtool.com/community-support/detail/1872); 3DWithUs S1 review material settings.

Shop xTool S1 →More settings for this machine →
Materials

Supplies to have on hand

Materials and accessories that pair well with Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm) laser projects.

A4 80gsm Copy PaperEasiest paper to laser cut - minimal settings needed.
Cardstock 300gsmHeavy card for invitations and laser-cut decorations.
Kraft Paper RollNatural kraft cuts cleanly with very low power.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best laser settings for Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)?

A top-rated community setting for Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm) on the OMTech 40W CO2 is speed 200 mm/s, power 15%. There are 12 community-tested settings for Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm) across 8 machines on this page.

Can a diode laser engrave or cut Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)?

Yes - there are 7 community settings for Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm) on diode lasers and 5 on CO₂ lasers. CO₂ lasers generally cut faster and cleaner, but modern high-wattage diode lasers handle most paper work well.

Do I need air assist for Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)?

8% of the community settings for Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm) use air assist. Air assist is optional for most operations but can improve edge quality on cuts.

Laser cutting paper - what you need to know

Paper is one of the easiest materials to laser cut, but getting clean edges without charring takes the right balance of speed and power. The golden rule: go fast, go light. A 40W CO₂ laser cutting 80gsm copy paper might run at 120 mm/s and only 9% power - barely anything. Diode lasers need a bit more power but the same principle applies.

Paper vs cardstock laser settings

Lightweight copy paper (75–90gsm) needs the least power and highest speed. Medium cardstock (160–200gsm) can handle slightly more power. Heavy cardstock and chipboard (250–350gsm) may need 2 passes or a modest power increase. The settings in the table above cover this range across the most popular machines.

Tips for cleaner paper cuts

  • Turn off air assist - it blows lightweight paper off the bed
  • Use a honeycomb or pin bed to support the sheet flat
  • Tape the corners to prevent lifting mid-cut
  • For intricate designs, reduce speed by 10–15% and power by the same - this gives the laser more time to cut cleanly without burning
  • If you get consistent char on one side, check your lens focus

Related materials

See also: Cardstock 300gsm, Kraft Paper, Foam Board, Corrugated Cardboard.

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What Makers Say

★★★★★5.0· 6 reviews
View all on Etsy →
★★★★★

"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

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