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Ortur Laser Master 3 settings — cut and engrave
Starting-point power, speed and pass settings for the Ortur Laser Master 3, a 10 W 450 nm diode machine. These are collected figures, not results from running the machine ourselves. Every machine and material batch differs — treat these as a fast start, then confirm with a material test grid.
Quick answer: for 3 mm plywood, start with 100% power at 180 mm/min, 3–4 passes on the Ortur Laser Master 3 (10 W diode); for 2 mm leather use 90% power at 250 mm/min, 1–2 passes. It cannot cut clear acrylic — only dark, opaque acrylic slowly at 100% power / 120 mm/min / 4–5 passes — since the ~450 nm beam passes straight through transparent stock. Confirm every number with a test grid before a real job.
Price a job on the Ortur Laser Master 3 →Ortur Laser Master 3 settings (power % / speed mm/min / passes)
| Material | Job | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood 3 mm | Cut | 100% / 180 / 3–4 passes |
| MDF 3 mm | Cut | 100% / 200 / 3 passes |
| Opaque acrylic 3 mm | Cut | 100% / 120 / 4–5 passes |
| Leather 2 mm | Cut | 90% / 250 / 1–2 passes |
| Cardboard | Cut | 80% / 500 / 1 pass |
| Wood | Engrave | 30% / 3000 mm/min |
| Slate / stone | Engrave | 80% / 2500 mm/min |
Clear acrylic: the Ortur Laser Master 3 is a diode laser and cannot cut clear or transparent acrylic — the ~450 nm beam passes straight through. It can slowly cut dark, opaque acrylic only. For clear acrylic you need a CO2 laser.
Always: use air assist, focus for the exact thickness, and don't hold 100% power to force a cut — slow the speed or add a pass instead. Find your exact numbers with a material test grid.
All of these charts in one printable book: The Laser Settings Handbook — 18 machines, 11 material charts, the 15 fixes and a settings log in 168 pages. Read the free 13-page sample.
Get an exact price for the Ortur Laser Master 3
Settings give you the speed; the calculator turns your file's path length into machine time and cost, scaled to the Ortur Laser Master 3.
Open the Ortur Laser Master 3 calculator →Bed size: what actually fits
The Ortur Laser Master 3 has a working area of 400 × 400 mm (16 cm²). That decides which stock sizes you can buy without cutting them down first — the single most annoying thing to discover after the delivery arrives.
| Common stock | Size | On this machine |
|---|---|---|
| A4 sheet | 297 × 210 mm | Fits |
| 300 × 300 mm craft ply | 300 × 300 mm | Fits |
| 400 × 400 mm sheet | 400 × 400 mm | Fits |
| 600 × 400 mm sheet | 600 × 400 mm | Does not fit — cut it down first |
| 600 × 300 mm sheet | 600 × 300 mm | Does not fit — cut it down first |
Fitting parts onto the sheet efficiently is where material cost is actually won or lost. Our nesting tool takes your file and this bed size and tells you parts per sheet; the sheet yield calculator does the same from plain dimensions.
What the Ortur Laser Master 3 cannot do
Knowing the hard limits saves more material than any settings tweak:
- No clear or transparent acrylic. The ~450 nm beam passes straight through it. Dark, opaque acrylic cuts slowly; clear needs a CO2 laser.
- No glass or stone engraving without help. Glass is transparent to the beam — it needs a paint or tape coating to mark at all.
- No metal cutting. Marking anodised or coated metal works; cutting bare metal does not, at any power.
- Thick hardwood is slow. Multiple passes on anything past about 6 mm, and the edge quality drops with each one.
Troubleshooting: symptom, cause, fix
| Symptom | Usual cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cut does not go through, top looks fine | Focus set for the wrong thickness, or speed too high for the pass count | Re-focus for this exact sheet, then drop speed ~25% before adding a pass. Check the back face, not the top. |
| Edges heavily charred / flaming | No air assist, or too many slow passes stacking heat | Turn air assist on — it matters more than any setting tweak on wood. Prefer fewer, faster passes. |
| Clear acrylic does nothing at all | Physics, not settings | A diode cannot cut clear acrylic. Switch to opaque stock or a CO2 machine. |
| Engrave looks washed out / grey | Power too low, or lines per cm too high for the material | Raise power in 5% steps first. On wood, 50–80 LPC is usually enough — more just costs time. |
| Lines wavy or double-struck | Belt tension or the frame flexing at speed | Check belt tension and that the gantry is square. Reduce engrave speed to confirm it is mechanical. |
If none of that helps, work through why won't my laser cut all the way through? or how to stop burn marks on wood.
Material cost per sheet
Settings tell you the time; material tells you the rest of the price. Typical cut speeds and prices per sheet for the materials this machine handles: Plywood 3 Mm · Plywood 6 Mm · Mdf 3 Mm · Leather 2 Mm · Felt 3 Mm · Cardboard 3 Mm.
To turn any of it into a quote, drop your file into the Ortur Laser Master 3 calculator — it applies this machine's speeds to your actual path length. For shop pricing, the hourly rate calculator works out what your machine time is really worth.
FAQ
What power and speed cuts 3 mm plywood on the Ortur Laser Master 3?
On the Ortur Laser Master 3 (10 W), a starting point for 3 mm plywood is 100% power at 180 mm/min, 3–4 passes. Values are starting points — run a small test on the same sheet, and use air assist for a clean edge.
Can the Ortur Laser Master 3 cut clear acrylic?
No. The Ortur Laser Master 3 is a diode laser (~450 nm); clear acrylic is transparent to it, so the beam passes straight through. It can cut dark, opaque acrylic slowly. Use a CO2 laser for clear acrylic.
How much does it cost to run the Ortur Laser Master 3?
Laser jobs are priced by machine time: cut length ÷ cutting speed × passes = time, then time × hourly rate + setup. Drop your file into the free calculator scaled to the Ortur Laser Master 3 to get an exact time and price.
What speed and power cuts MDF on the Ortur Laser Master 3?
A starting point for 3 mm MDF on the Ortur Laser Master 3 (10 W) is 100% power at 200 mm/min, 3 passes. Confirm with a small test on the same sheet, since diode output varies unit to unit.
What are the best Ortur Laser Master 3 settings for leather?
For 2 mm leather, start at 90% power / 250 mm/min / 1–2 passes on the Ortur Laser Master 3. Use air assist and check the back face — a cut that looks finished on top is not always through.
What is the Ortur Laser Master 3's working area?
400 × 400 mm. That fits an A4 sheet, a 300 × 300 mm craft ply panel or a full 400 × 400 mm sheet edge to edge, but a 600 × 400 mm sheet has to be cut down first.