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Sculpfun S9 laser settings — power, speed & passes
Starting-point power, speed and pass settings for the Sculpfun S9, a 5.5 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, run the Sculpfun S9 at 100% power, 180 mm/min, 3–4 passes; MDF cuts cleanly at 100% / 200 / 3 passes and opaque acrylic at 100% / 120 / 4–5 passes. These Sculpfun S9 laser settings are starting points for the 5.5 W diode — confirm your exact numbers with a test grid on your own material batch.
Price a job on the Sculpfun S9 →Sculpfun S9 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 Sculpfun S9 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 Sculpfun S9
Settings give you the speed; the calculator turns your file's path length into machine time and cost, scaled to the Sculpfun S9.
Open the Sculpfun S9 calculator →What an S9 needs next to it
The S9 is a 5.5 W open-frame diode with a very fine spot, which is why it cuts cleanly in several passes rather than one. Its 455 nm beam is exposed while it works, and a solid bed under the stock reflects it back into the underside of every cut.
Safety glasses, 455 nm OD6+: Check price on Amazon ↗
Honeycomb bed: Check price on Amazon ↗
Air assist pump: Check price on Amazon ↗
Basswood sheets 3 mm: Check price on Amazon ↗
Disclosure: some links are affiliate links — if you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Prices are approximate list prices at the time of writing; always check the current offer.
Bed size: what actually fits
The Sculpfun S9 has a working area of 410 × 420 mm (17 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 Sculpfun S9 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 Sculpfun S9 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 Sculpfun S9?
On the Sculpfun S9 (5.5 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 Sculpfun S9 cut clear acrylic?
No. The Sculpfun S9 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 Sculpfun S9?
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 Sculpfun S9 to get an exact time and price.
What are the Sculpfun S9 settings for MDF?
For 3 mm MDF, a starting point on the Sculpfun S9 is 100% power at 200 mm/min, 3 passes. Test on scrap first since MDF batches vary in density and glue content.
What speed should I use to engrave wood on the Sculpfun S9?
Wood engraving on the Sculpfun S9 runs at 30% power and 3000 mm/min in one pass. Raise power in 5% steps if the mark looks too light, or slow down for a darker line.
What are the Sculpfun S9 settings for leather?
Leather 2 mm cuts on the Sculpfun S9 at 90% power, 250 mm/min, 1–2 passes. Use air assist to keep the edge clean and reduce charring.