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In this guide
Carbon steel is one of the most common materials small shops bring in-house once they move beyond acrylic and wood. This guide gives you the official GWEIKE factory-tested cutting parameters for the Gweike MCore, covering carbon steel from 1mm up to its full rated 5mm cutting capacity, with both compressed air and oxygen-assisted settings.
Don't have an MCore yet? View the MCore product page → for specs, pricing, and current availability.
Quick Answer
| Thickness | Assist Gas | Speed | Power | Can it be cut? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1mm | Air or O₂ | 100 mm/s (air) / 35–55 mm/s (O₂) | 96–100% | ✅ |
| 2mm | Air or O₂ | 30 mm/s (air) / 25–35 mm/s (O₂) | 96–100% | ✅ |
| 3mm | Air or O₂ | 6 mm/s (air) / 16–20 mm/s (O₂) | 100% | ✅ (O₂ recommended) |
| 4mm | O₂ only | 13–16 mm/s | 100% | ✅ O₂ required |
| 5mm | O₂ only | 8–13 mm/s | 100% | ✅ O₂ required |
Bottom line: Compressed air can cut carbon steel up to 3mm. Beyond that, the MCore needs oxygen assist gas to reach its full 5mm rated cutting capacity.
1 Air vs O₂: Which One Do You Actually Need?
Before getting into the full tables, it's worth understanding why there are two separate parameter sets for the same material.
Compressed air is simpler to set up — no gas cylinder, no regulator to manage, just the machine's built-in air supply or an optional air compressor. It works well for thinner material (1–3mm), but the cutting reaction it produces on carbon steel loses efficiency as thickness increases, which is why air-assisted cutting tops out around 3mm in the official data.
Oxygen assist changes the chemistry of the cut. Oxygen actively feeds the combustion reaction at the cut line, which is what makes thicker carbon steel cuttable at all — it's the reason the MCore's 5mm carbon steel rating depends on oxygen, not air. Oxygen-assisted cuts also tend to run faster and cleaner at the same thickness compared to air, even where both are technically possible (1–3mm).
If your work is mostly thin carbon steel (1–3mm) and you want to avoid managing a gas cylinder, air is a reasonable starting point.
If you need to cut 4mm or 5mm carbon steel, or you want faster, cleaner cuts even on thinner material, you'll need an oxygen supply.
If you haven't decided whether to add an oxygen setup or stick with the standard air assist, that's a hardware/workflow decision worth thinking through before you commit to a parameter set. The MCore's optional All-in-One Air Supply System is covered briefly on the product page — a dedicated setup guide for that accessory is in progress; check back or contact our team for current details.
2 Air Assist Parameters (1–3mm)
| Thickness (mm) | Speed (mm/s) | Frequency | Focus | Nozzle | Nozzle Height (mm) | Gas | Pressure (bar) | Duty Cycle | Power (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 800 | 3 | 2.0 single | 0.4 | Air | 8–12 | 100 | 96 |
| 2 | 30 | 800 | 3 | 2.0 single | 0.4 | Air | 8–12 | 100 | 96 |
| 3 | 6 | 800 | -2 | 2.0 single | 0.4 | Air | 8–12 | 100 | 100 |
3 Oxygen Assist Parameters (1–5mm)
| Thickness (mm) | Speed (mm/s) | Frequency | Focus | Nozzle | Nozzle Height (mm) | Gas | Pressure (MPa) | Duty Cycle | Power (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35–55 | 5000 | 12 | 1.5 double | 0.5 | O₂ | 2 | 100 | 100 |
| 2 | 25–35 | 5000 | 12 | 1.5 double | 0.5 | O₂ | 2 | 100 | 100 |
| 3 | 16–20 | 3000 | 12 | 1.5 double | 0.6 | O₂ | 2 | 100 | 100 |
| 4 | 13–16 | 3000 | 12 | 2.0 double | 0.8 | O₂ | 2.3 | 100 | 100 |
| 5 | 8–13 | 3000 | 12 | 2.0 double | 0.8 | O₂ | 2.5 | 100 | 100 |
How to Read These Parameters
If some of these column names aren't immediately obvious, here's a quick reference:
Setup Checklist
1. Confirm your assist gas
Decide air or oxygen based on your target thickness (see decision section above).
2. Check gas purity if using oxygen
GWEIKE's official data is based on liquid oxygen at 99.99% purity (and liquid nitrogen at 99.999% purity for other cutting setups). Lower-purity industrial gas will not reproduce these results and may affect cut quality or safety.
3. Match your nozzle to the table
Single-layer nozzles for air-assisted thin cuts, double-layer for oxygen-assisted cuts — using the wrong nozzle type for the parameter set will throw off the result even if every other number is correct.
4. Set nozzle height precisely
This is one of the most sensitive variables in the whole setup — small deviations here cause inconsistent cut quality even when speed and power are otherwise correct.
5. Verify pressure at the cutting head
GWEIKE's official note specifies that pressure values in this table refer to pressure monitored at the cutting head — not at your regulator or tank gauge, which may read differently.
6. Run a test cut on scrap first
Equipment configuration, cooling, environment, and nozzle wear all affect real-world results — the tables above are a reference starting point, not a guarantee for every machine.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Cut isn't fully penetrating
Usually speed is too high relative to power, or you're pushing air-assisted cutting beyond its 3mm practical limit. Reduce speed slightly, or switch to oxygen assist at 4mm+.
Excessive slag/dross underneath
Usually a sign that gas pressure is too low for the thickness being cut, or nozzle height has drifted. Recheck pressure at the cutting head and confirm nozzle height matches the table.
Burnt edges / wide heat-affected zone
Typically caused by speed too slow for the power level, or a focus value that isn't matched to material thickness. Double-check the focus value for your specific thickness.
Inconsistent results on "same" settings
Usually isn't the parameters — it's nozzle wear, gas purity, ambient temperature, or cooling performance drifting over time. Re-test on scrap periodically.
Safety Notes
- Never operate without proper laser safety eyewear and an enclosed/interlocked work area. The MCore's enclosed chassis is part of its safety design — don't bypass safety interlocks to "see the cut better."
- Oxygen-assisted cutting involves a strong oxidizer at the cutting point — keep the work area clear of unrelated combustible material and ensure adequate ventilation.
- Always verify gas cylinder condition, regulator function, and connections before each session involving oxygen assist.
- Ensure fume extraction is running before cutting metal — metal cutting fumes should not be vented into an unventilated room.
- These parameters assume properly maintained equipment and correct gas purity. Deviating from either introduces variables outside the scope of this guide.
FAQ
Can the MCore cut 5mm carbon steel with just compressed air?
No — based on the official parameter data, air-assisted cutting is rated up to 3mm. Reaching the MCore's full 5mm carbon steel capacity requires oxygen assist.
Why does the same thickness have different speeds in the air table vs the oxygen table?
Oxygen actively participates in the cutting reaction, which generally allows faster cutting at the same thickness compared to air alone — this is reflected in the speed ranges for 1–3mm, where both gases are usable.
Do I need a different nozzle for air vs oxygen cutting?
Yes. The official data uses single-layer nozzles for air-assisted cuts and double-layer nozzles for oxygen-assisted cuts.
Where exactly should I measure gas pressure?
At the cutting head — not at the gas tank or regulator. This is specified directly in GWEIKE's official parameter notes.
Ready to bring carbon steel cutting in-house? View current specifications, configuration options, and availability on the MCore product page.
View the MCore product page →
