Laser Engraving Settings Cheat Sheet for 2026
Every laser, material, and machine is different — but you do not have to start from zero every time. This cheat sheet collects safe starting-point settings for the most common materials across diode, CO2, and fiber lasers, updated for the machines people are running in 2026. Treat every number here as a starting point: always run a test grid on scrap before committing to your final piece.
How to Read These Settings
Laser settings come down to three variables that interact with each other:
- Speed — how fast the head moves. Higher speed = lighter mark. Measured in mm/s (LightBurn, Ruida) or mm/min (GRBL/diode). Note: 1000 mm/min = ~16.7 mm/s.
- Power — laser output as a percentage of the tube/diode maximum. Higher power = deeper/darker.
- Passes — how many times the laser repeats the path. More passes = deeper cut without raising power.
For engraving you also set a line interval (or DPI) — how tightly the scan lines pack together. 0.1 mm (≈254 DPI) is a good general-purpose value; drop to 0.06–0.08 mm for fine photo work.
Golden rule: change one variable at a time. If a test is too light, either lower speed by 20% or raise power by 5–10% — not both at once.
Diode Laser Settings (5–20W)
Diode lasers (xTool D1/D1 Pro, Ortur, Atomstack, Sculpfun, NEJE) are the most popular entry point. The wattage below refers to optical output. Speeds are in mm/min for GRBL controllers.
| Material | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plywood / basswood | Engrave | 3000–6000 mm/min | 30–50% | 1 |
| Plywood 3 mm | Cut | 200–400 mm/min | 100% | 3–6 |
| Hardwood (maple, oak) | Engrave | 2500–4000 mm/min | 50–70% | 1 |
| Acrylic (cast, dark) | Engrave | 3000 mm/min | 40–60% | 1 |
| Acrylic 3 mm (dark) | Cut | 180–300 mm/min | 100% | 4–8 |
| Leather (veg-tan) | Engrave | 4000–6000 mm/min | 25–40% | 1 |
| Slate / stone | Engrave | 3000 mm/min | 70–90% | 1 |
| Anodized aluminum | Mark | 3000 mm/min | 80–100% | 2–3 |
Note on clear acrylic: diode lasers do not engrave or cut clear/transparent acrylic — the beam passes straight through. Use cast acrylic in dark colors, or paint the back for engraving.
CO2 Laser Settings (40–100W)
CO2 lasers (K40, OMTech, xTool P2, Glowforge, Ruida-based machines) handle a far wider range of materials and cut much faster. Speeds here are in mm/s, the LightBurn/Ruida convention.
| Material | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plywood / hardwood | Engrave | 300–400 mm/s | 15–25% | 1 |
| Plywood 3 mm | Cut | 15–20 mm/s | 60–80% | 1 |
| Acrylic 3 mm | Cut | 12–18 mm/s | 60–75% | 1 |
| Acrylic | Engrave (frosted) | 300 mm/s | 20–30% | 1 |
| Leather | Engrave | 350–500 mm/s | 15–20% | 1 |
| Slate / tile | Engrave | 250–350 mm/s | 30–40% | 1 |
| Cardstock / paper | Cut | 60–100 mm/s | 10–15% | 1 |
| Anodized aluminum | Mark | 300 mm/s | 80–100% | 1 |
Air assist matters: for all CO2 cutting and most engraving, run air assist. It clears smoke and debris from the cut line, prevents flare-ups, and dramatically improves edge quality on acrylic and wood.
Fiber Laser Settings (20–50W) for Metal Marking
Fiber lasers (EZCAD-driven galvo machines) are built for marking and engraving bare metals — something diode and CO2 lasers struggle with. Settings here are EZCAD parameters.
| Material | Result | Speed | Power | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | Black anneal | 100–200 mm/s | 30–40% | 40–60 kHz |
| Stainless steel | Deep engrave | 500–800 mm/s | 80–100% | 20–30 kHz |
| Anodized aluminum | White mark | 1000–2000 mm/s | 20–40% | 60–100 kHz |
| Brass | Engrave | 300–500 mm/s | 80–100% | 20–40 kHz |
| Coated/painted metal | Etch coating | 1500–3000 mm/s | 30–50% | 60–80 kHz |
For colour marking on stainless steel, frequency and speed become the dominant variables — small changes shift the oxide layer thickness and therefore the colour. Build a parameter grid to find the exact blue, purple, or gold you want.
Settings for Photo & Portrait Engraving
Engraving a photograph is different from engraving line art or text. You are reproducing continuous tone, so detail and consistency matter more than raw depth.
- Convert the photo first. Raw photos rarely engrave well. Run your image through Photo2Vector to get clean lineart (for vector engraving) or an optimized, high-contrast image (for halftone/dithered engraving).
- Use a finer line interval. Drop to 0.06–0.08 mm (300–423 DPI) so the scan lines blend into smooth tone.
- Lower the power, keep speed up. Photo engraving wants a light, even touch — start ~20% lower power than your normal wood engrave to preserve highlights.
- Pick the right dithering. In LightBurn, "Jarvis" gives the smoothest gradients on wood portraits; "Stucki" is a close second. Avoid plain "Threshold" for faces.
- Run a grayscale test strip before the final piece to confirm your darkest and lightest tones both reproduce.
See our deeper walkthroughs on engraving a portrait on wood and choosing SVG vs PNG for the full workflow.
Materials You Should Never Laser
Settings do not matter if the material is dangerous. Never cut or engrave these — they release toxic or corrosive fumes that harm you and your machine:
- PVC / vinyl (and faux leather backed with PVC): releases chlorine gas, which forms hydrochloric acid. It corrodes your laser's optics and rails and is a serious health hazard.
- ABS: melts, catches fire easily, and emits cyanide and styrene fumes.
- Polycarbonate (Lexan): cuts poorly, yellows, and emits harmful fumes.
- Fiberglass and carbon fiber: release fine glass particles and toxic resin fumes.
- Any material you cannot identify. When in doubt, leave it out.
Always run proper exhaust ventilation, keep a fire extinguisher nearby, and never leave a running laser unattended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these laser settings exact?
No — treat every value as a starting point. Your exact results depend on your specific machine, its lens, the material batch, focus height, and ambient conditions. Always run a small test grid on scrap of the same material before engraving or cutting your final piece, and adjust power ±5% or speed ±20% from there.
Why won't my diode laser cut clear acrylic?
Diode lasers emit light around 445–455 nm (blue), which passes straight through transparent and clear acrylic without being absorbed. Use dark, cast acrylic instead, or switch to a CO2 laser, whose 10.6 µm wavelength is absorbed by all acrylic colors including clear.
What speed and power should I use for photo engraving on wood?
Start lighter than your normal wood engrave: about 20% lower power, a finer line interval of 0.06–0.08 mm, and Jarvis dithering in LightBurn. Convert the photo to an optimized image or lineart first with Photo2Vector, then run a grayscale test strip to confirm both highlights and shadows reproduce before engraving the full piece.
How do I convert mm/min to mm/s for my laser?
Divide by 60. For example, 3000 mm/min ÷ 60 = 50 mm/s. GRBL-based diode lasers usually display mm/min, while Ruida-based CO2 machines and LightBurn typically use mm/s. Check which unit your software expects before entering these settings.