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In this guide
You just set up the MCore. The machine is connected, Mlaser is installed, and the first question is: what do I do first?
This guide walks through the decisions that come before any specific parameter — which laser head to use, which assist gas applies to your material, and a structured workflow for finding the right settings on scrap material. For the actual tested speed/power/pressure values, this guide links out to our material-specific parameter guides, which are built directly from GWEIKE's official factory-tested parameter tables.
Step 0: choose your laser head
Before setting any parameters, confirm which laser source handles your material. The MCore runs two independent laser heads — selecting the wrong one produces either no cut or a damaged workpiece.
| Material | Laser head | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel, carbon steel | Fiber 400W | 1064nm absorbed by metal; CO₂ wavelength reflects off bare metal |
| Aluminum, brass | Fiber 400W | Fiber wavelength couples into metal efficiently across common alloys |
| Acrylic (clear, colored, cast) | CO₂ 80W | 10,600nm absorbed by organic materials; fiber beam passes through clear acrylic |
| Wood, MDF, plywood | CO₂ 80W | CO₂ wavelength absorbed by cellulose; fiber would pass through or char unevenly |
| Leather, fabric, rubber | CO₂ 80W | CO₂ for organic and non-metallic materials |
| Mixed job (metal frame + acrylic panel) | Fiber → CO₂ in sequence | Set up separate layers in Mlaser, assign laser head per layer |
The fiber laser cannot cut acrylic cleanly — the 1064nm beam passes through clear acrylic without sufficient absorption. The CO₂ laser cannot cut bare metal — the 10,600nm wavelength reflects rather than being absorbed. On the MCore, the two sources are physically complementary, not interchangeable.
Step 1: assist gas — what's actually documented
GWEIKE's official parameter data documents two assist gases for metal cutting on the MCore — compressed air and oxygen — and each is tied to specific materials and thicknesses, not used interchangeably across all metals.
Compressed Air
The documented assist gas for stainless steel (1–3mm), aluminum (1–2mm), and brass (1–1.5mm), and also usable for carbon steel up to 3mm. Delivered via the MCore's optional All-in-One Air Supply System or an external compressor at 8–12 bar (monitored at the cutting head).
Oxygen (O₂)
Documented specifically for carbon steel, 1–5mm — required to reach the material's full 5mm rated capacity. Uses liquid oxygen at 99.99% purity per GWEIKE's spec. We don't have official O₂ parameter data for stainless steel, aluminum, or brass.
Step 2: metal cutting — where to find tested parameters
Rather than duplicate tables here, this section links to our dedicated guides for each metal — each one is built directly from GWEIKE's official factory-tested parameter data, with full speed/frequency/focus/nozzle/pressure tables, troubleshooting, and safety notes specific to that material.
Carbon Steel
1–3mm with air assist, 1–5mm with oxygen assist. Covers the full range to reach MCore's 5mm rated capacity.
View carbon steel parameters →Stainless Steel
1–3mm with air assist. Includes an honest look at the nitrogen data gap mentioned above.
View stainless steel parameters →Aluminum & Brass
Aluminum 1–2mm, brass 1–1.5mm, both with air assist. Covers why these reflective metals need full power even at thin gauges.
View aluminum & brass parameters →A quick-reference summary of the speed ranges across all documented metals:
| Material | Thickness range | Assist gas | Speed range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon steel | 1–3mm | Air | 6–100 mm/s |
| Carbon steel | 1–5mm | O₂ | 8–55 mm/s |
| Stainless steel | 1–3mm | Air | 2–75 mm/s |
| Aluminum | 1–2mm | Air | 3–33 mm/s |
| Brass | 1–1.5mm | Air | 3–10 mm/s |
This table shows the range only — use the dedicated guides above for the exact value at your specific thickness, since speed doesn't scale linearly across these ranges.
Step 3: acrylic cutting parameters (CO₂ 80W)
The MCore's 80W CO₂ laser cuts acrylic using the same fundamental process as desktop CO₂ machines — the 10,600nm wavelength is absorbed by the acrylic, producing a clean edge on cast acrylic. Below is GWEIKE's official 80W speed chart (the MCore's CO₂ configuration), with laser power assumed at 90% per the standard chart notes.
| Thickness | High Speed | Best Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 3mm | 25 mm/s | 20 mm/s |
| 5mm | 12 mm/s | 8 mm/s |
| 8mm | 9 mm/s | 5 mm/s |
| 10mm | 6 mm/s | 3 mm/s |
| 15mm | 3 mm/s | 1.5 mm/s |
| 20mm | — | — |
There's no published 80W speed value for 20mm or 25mm acrylic in GWEIKE's chart — that data starts at 100W. See our full acrylic cutting speed chart guide for the complete 40W–150W comparison and more on this gap.
Step 4: your first cut — a practical workflow
Whichever material and parameter set you start from, the fastest way to reliable results is a structured test sequence on scrap material rather than going straight to a production piece.
Cut a small test square on scrap
Start from the middle of the speed range for your material and thickness (see the linked guides above) — not the fastest value, not the slowest. This gives you room to adjust in either direction.
Assess the result against three criteria
- Penetration: Did the laser cut all the way through? If not, reduce speed slightly or check power and focus against the table.
- Cut edge finish: Excess slag/dross on the underside usually means speed too high or gas pressure too low for that thickness.
- Consistency: Run a second piece at the same settings to confirm the result repeats before committing to a full job.
Adjust one variable at a time
Change speed OR power OR gas pressure — not several at once. This makes it clear which change produced the improvement.
Record what worked
Save the exact values as a preset in Mlaser. A different batch of the same material may need small adjustments, but your recorded values are always the right starting point next time.
FAQ
Can I use oxygen assist on stainless steel, aluminum, or brass for a cleaner cut?
We don't have official GWEIKE parameter data for O₂-assisted cutting on stainless steel, aluminum, or brass. The documented oxygen-assist parameters are specifically for carbon steel. Using O₂ on other metals without tested settings is not something we can recommend without further guidance from our technical team — contact support before experimenting with gas/material combinations outside the documented set.
Can MCore cut metal with the built-in Air System only — no external gas?
Yes — air assist is the documented method for stainless steel (1–3mm), aluminum (1–2mm), and brass (1–1.5mm), and works for carbon steel up to 3mm as well. For carbon steel beyond 3mm, up to the full 5mm rated capacity, oxygen assist is required per GWEIKE's official data.
Why is my metal cut edge oxidized or discolored?
This is an expected characteristic of air-assisted and oxygen-assisted cutting — both introduce oxygen at the cut point, which causes some surface oxidation. It's a cosmetic rather than structural effect. A bright, oxidation-free edge typically requires nitrogen assist, which we don't currently have published parameters for — see the assist gas section above.
Can the fiber laser cut acrylic on MCore?
No — the fiber laser's 1064nm wavelength passes through clear acrylic without enough absorption for a clean cut. This is a wavelength limitation, not a power issue. Use the CO₂ head (80W) for all acrylic cutting.
How do I switch between Fiber and CO₂ in Mlaser?
Each layer in your design file can be assigned to either the fiber or CO₂ laser source. For a mixed job — a metal frame plus an acrylic insert — set up two layers, assign the metal layer to Fiber and the acrylic layer to CO₂, and run the job in sequence. Mlaser manages the head switching.
Ready to order or want to check current availability and configuration options?
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