Laser Engraver Speed & Power Finder
Pick your laser wattage, material, and operation to get recommended starting speed and power settings. Save confirmed settings to your personal material library. Nothing uploaded.
Recommended starting settings
These are starting points. Do a test burn and adjust based on your machine and material.
My material library
Learn more: laser engraver speed, power, and starting settings
Why starting settings matter - reducing the test burn matrix
Without accurate starting points, finding the right speed and power combination requires a test burn matrix - a grid of 50+ test squares across different speed/power combinations. Good starting settings narrow that search to 3-5 refinement burns, saving material, time, and frustration. Once you find what works on your specific machine and material batch, the personal material library saves those settings permanently in your browser.
How laser power and speed interact - understanding the fundamentals
Faster speed means less energy delivered per unit area (because the beam dwells less). Lower speed or higher power means more energy and more severe burning/char. For engraving, you want enough power and slow enough speed to create visible mark depth without excessive charring. For cutting, you need enough energy to sever the material completely; too slow and you create heat damage and thick kerf, too fast and you get incomplete cuts. Air assist clears smoke and ejects molten material, allowing faster speeds and cleaner edges for cutting.
Optical power vs delivered power - why your 10W machine varies from others
Stated wattages (5W, 10W, 20W) refer to optical output power at the laser tube, but the power actually delivered at your material depends on lens quality, focal distance accuracy, and beam divergence. A poorly aligned focal point loses 30-40% of effective power. Settings from one machine of the same wattage are a starting point for another - always verify with a test burn on your specific equipment.
FAQ
Do I need air assist for engraving?
No. Air assist has minimal impact on engraving quality. It matters significantly for cutting - air clears smoke, allows faster speeds, and produces cleaner kerf edges. For engraving, air assist is optional.
What DPI should I use for photo engraving?
254 DPI (100x100 dots/cm) is a good starting point for detail. Higher DPI (up to 500+) adds fine detail but slows the engrave and can produce very dark burns. Lower DPI (150-200) speeds up the job but reduces detail. Test with your specific image and machine.
Can I use diode laser settings on a CO2 laser?
No. CO2 and diode lasers interact differently with different materials. CO2 is absorbed by organic materials; diode is mostly used for marking metals and some plastics. Always use settings for your specific laser type.