Laser engraving setup and costing

Community-sourced speed and power ranges for common laser materials. Your laser, lens, and material batch will differ.

Settings reference

Material Operation Speed Power Passes Notes
Acrylic (cast) 1/8"Cut15-25mm/s80-100%1-2Mask surface, remove slowly
Acrylic (cast) 1/8"Engrave300-500mm/s20-40%1Higher speed = lighter engrave
Basswood 1/8"Cut20-30mm/s70-90%1-2Watch for burning at edges
Basswood 1/8"Engrave400-600mm/s25-40%1Lower power for fine detail
MDF 1/8"Cut15-20mm/s85-100%1-2Heavy smoke — good ventilation
MDF 1/8"Engrave300-500mm/s30-50%1Seals well after engraving
Leather (veg tan)Engrave400-600mm/s20-35%1Test first — burns easily
SlateEngrave300-400mm/s40-60%1No cutting — mark only
Anodized AluminumEngrave400-600mm/s30-50%1Removes anodizing layer
CardstockCut100-200mm/s20-40%1Very light material

Settings references are community-sourced starting points for informational use only. Always run material tests on your specific laser. Sunday Maker is not responsible for material damage or equipment issues from following these ranges.

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