The xTool P3 cuts well — it goes completely through the material — but the edge comes out yellow or even black, as if burned. The instinctive reaction is to lower the power. This is almost always a mistake: the problem is usually not the laser, but the air assist. Let’s look at it step by step.
This guide adapts xTool’s support documentation on poor cutting results with the P3 into Spanish, along with what we have verified in the workshop.
Why air, and not power
When the laser cuts, it burns material and generates smoke and gases right at the cutting line. The air assist jet has a dual mission: to clear away the smoke so the beam arrives clean, and to cool the edge. If that air is missing or weak, the smoke stays in the groove and burns again against the cut walls. The result is exactly that: a yellowed or blackened edge, even if the power is correct.
That’s why, before adjusting power and speed, you need to rule out the air. These are the causes, from most common to least:
- Incorrect processing parameters.
- Air nozzle not installed.
- Pump flow rate poorly adjusted.
- Leak in the air tubing.
- Problem with the pump itself.
1. Software and firmware up to date
It sounds like a cliché, but it’s the first official step for a reason: make sure xTool Studio and the machine firmware are updated. Many strange behaviors are fixed here without further action.
2. Check the parameters
- Official xTool materials: use the recommended parameters exactly as given. They are calibrated for the machine.
- Materials from other suppliers: don’t guess. Run a Material Test Array (Studio’s power and speed test matrix) and keep the combination that cuts cleanly. It’s five minutes that save you half a ruined sheet.
3. Check the air nozzle
The air nozzle is the piece that directs the jet to the cutting point and helps evacuate smoke. If it’s not installed, the air doesn’t reach where it needs to.
- If it’s not installed, install it.
- If you do mixed engraving and cutting in the same job, consider separating the processes (engrave first with less air, then cut with the nozzle), or mount the nozzle according to what each phase requires. Engraving and cutting don’t want the same airflow.
4. Adjust the pump flow rate
This is the adjustment that most often solves the problem and the one most people have wrong without knowing it.
In Device Settings → Airflow, check that in Cut mode the flow is at 100% (which is the default value). If it’s lower, increase it.
An important nuance: that 100% flow applies only to Cut mode. For engraving you don’t need — nor want — that much air, so don’t worry if the engraving value is lower. The burned edge is a cutting problem, and it’s in cutting that the flow must be at maximum.
5. Leaks and pump
If with the nozzle installed and flow at 100% the edge still burns, you need to rule out the physical part: a leak in the air tubing (a loose connection loses pressure before reaching the nozzle) or a problem with the pump itself. At this point, it’s best to check the air path and, if nothing changes, open a support ticket with xTool.
And a maintenance note closely related to this: the air pump filter gets dirty quickly and chokes the flow. If you haven’t cleaned it in a while, start there — we explain it in the filter guide — because a saturated filter causes exactly this symptom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wouldn’t it be easier just to lower the power?
Lowering power with bad air can leave the cut incomplete and still burn the edge. You’d be covering up the symptom and creating another. Fix the air first; often with the original parameters the cut comes out clean as soon as the flow is at 100%.
It cuts well but only burns in some areas of the sheet. Why?
This is usually uneven smoke evacuation (a worse ventilated area) or the piece slightly lifted from the base, which moves the nozzle away. Secure the material well and check that the nozzle stays at the correct height across the entire surface.
How often should I check the pump filter?
Daily under normal use, and every 8 hours if you do long cutting sessions at high power. It’s the silent number one cause of flow loss.
Written by Noemi and Javi, from Picasita. We have been using an xTool P3 in production since October 2025; we are xTool affiliates. This guide adapts the brand’s official documentation; the original is in their support center. More tutorials and solutions.
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