Varying Vector Cut Speeds on a 120W Laser Cutter

Above is an example of varying speed settings with vector cuts and engravings on a 120W Co2 laser cutter. The ratios of power to speed are roughly the same on both groups of cuts, producing approximately the same depth; however one speed setting is much higher (30x) than the other, producing the wobbly lines on the fast group. The faster setting was enough to cause the laser’s Y axis to lose registration, as you can see on the two bottom lines of text.

Keeping a low speed is not necessary for all cuts, just those with small or intricate paths which cause the head to change position rapidly. Straight cuts with a higher speed usually look just fine.