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There is no universal laser power-and-speed setting. Use the machine maker’s guidance as a starting point, focus the laser correctly, then run a controlled test grid on scrap from the exact material and thickness you will use. For cutting, choose the fastest movement and lowest power that cut through consistently without excessive scorching. For engraving, choose the combination that gives the required darkness and detail without adding needless heat. Save that tested recipe and repeat the test whenever the laser, material, thickness, focus, or other important condition changes.
Why one power-and-speed recipe cannot work everywhere
Power determines the beam’s intensity while speed determines how long the beam heats each point. Increasing power or slowing movement generally increases delivered heat. That can make a cut deeper or an engraving darker, but it can also char or melt edges, create more smoke, and widen the kerf (the material removed by the cut). Past the useful range, extra heat may add damage rather than useful depth or contrast. LightBurn’s Speed vs. Power explanation notes that the best combination depends on the laser, the material, and the intended result.
Laser type, optical power, lens, bed and airflow, material formulation, surface coating, thickness, focus, and controller settings all change the result. Even two sheets sold under the same material name can respond differently. A setting that works on one machine or batch should therefore be treated as a starting point, not a transferable guarantee.
What power, speed, and related controls actually change
Power
Power controls how intense the beam is while it is firing. More power can help the beam penetrate a cut or darken an engraving, but excessive power increases charring, melting, smoke, and kerf. The useful target is sufficient energy for the job, not the highest available percentage.
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Speed
Speed controls how quickly the beam travels. A slower pass leaves the beam over each point longer and usually adds heat; a faster pass reduces exposure. A high-power, high-speed setting can deliver a similar overall result to a low-power, low-speed setting, but edge quality and heat distribution may differ, so test rather than assuming the two are equivalent.
Passes
Multiple passes can remove material progressively and may produce cleaner edges than one very hot pass. If a first grid does not cut through, test an appropriate number of passes within the machine’s limits. If edges are badly charred or melted, trying additional passes is preferable to continually increasing power.
Line interval for filled engraving
Filled engraving is also affected by line interval, the spacing between adjacent scan lines. Closer lines improve coverage but can overlap enough to overburn. The appropriate interval depends on the laser and material; the LightBurn beginner cut-settings documentation describes its .100 value as a reasonable starting point rather than a universal prescription.
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Air assist
Where the machine supports it, air assist can reduce soot and charring and help a cut progress. Use it only as specified for the particular machine and material. Some systems do not provide controllable air assist, so do not assume that a setting or benefit from one machine applies to another.
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Prepare the machine, material, and test safely
Identify the exact combination
Write down the laser type and model, the material name and supplier, thickness, surface treatment, and whether the job is a cut or an engraving. Look first for the machine maker’s recommended starting settings for that combination. LightBurn recommends manufacturer settings as the first place to look in its First Material Test guide. These values start the experiment; they do not remove the need for a local test.
Focus using the machine’s specified method
Focus must be correct before comparing cells in a grid. Diode, CO2, and galvo machines use different focusing methods, so follow the instructions for the actual machine rather than applying a generic distance. As LightBurn puts it, “Lasers need to be focused correctly to achieve good results.” A poorly focused beam can make every power-and-speed comparison misleading.
Use matching scrap
Cut a test piece from the same material and thickness as the job. Settings are material-dependent, so repeat the test when the material changes, even if the nominal thickness is unchanged. Keep focus, air-assist state, lens condition, and other relevant conditions constant while comparing cells.
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Confirm speed units and controller scaling
Check whether the software and machine express speed in millimetres per second (mm/s) or millimetres per minute (mm/min). Confusing the units can produce far too little or far too much output and can even create a fire risk; LightBurn’s Material Test documentation specifically warns users to check units of distance and time.
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On controllers that use an S-Value Max setting, make sure LightBurn’s value matches the controller’s configured maximum. The LightBurn Device Settings documentation explains that a mismatch can cause under-output or unexpectedly full output.
Control fire, fumes, and prohibited materials
Preview and frame the test so its position is clear before the laser fires. Attend every test and production job; low speeds and high powers are particularly hazardous with flammable stock. Follow the machine maker’s restrictions and ventilation instructions. Boss Laser’s safety guidance advises against cutting PVC, vinyl, or unknown plastics and calls for exhaust, a closed enclosure, and supervision. Never substitute a material merely because it looks similar to an approved one.
Run a controlled power-and-speed test
- Choose the starting range. Use the manufacturer’s guidance for the laser, material, and thickness. Stay within the machine’s published power, speed, pass, and air-assist limits.
- Prepare and focus the scrap. Secure a flat piece of matching stock, clean the surface if the machine instructions require it, and focus by the machine’s specified procedure.
- Set the correct units. Verify mm/s versus mm/min in both the software and any machine documentation. Confirm the controller’s maximum-output setting where applicable.
- Build a test grid. Vary power and speed across labelled cells. If supported by the software, include passes or another relevant parameter, but change only the variables you intend to compare. Label the grid with units and values.
- Preview and frame. Use the software preview to check the pattern, then frame the job to verify that it fits on the scrap and is located where expected.
- Stay with the machine. Keep the enclosure and exhaust configured as required, watch for flame or abnormal smoke, and stop the job if the material behaves unexpectedly.
- Inspect every cell after cooling. For cuts, check complete separation, edge charring, kerf, and whether the result is consistent across the cell. For engraving, compare darkness, contrast, fine detail, soot, and run time.
- Select the useful region. For a cut, favour the fastest setting that cuts through reliably with the least scorching. For an engraving, select the lightness or darkness and detail that match the design rather than simply choosing the darkest mark.
- Fine-tune locally. Run a smaller follow-up grid around the best cell if two neighbouring combinations differ in edge quality, contrast, or repeatability. Change one variable at a time after the initial grid so you can identify what caused the improvement.
- Save the recipe. Record the machine, material, thickness, focus method or position, speed and units, power, passes, line interval, air-assist state, and any other condition that affected the result.
How to judge a cutting test
A cut setting is successful only when it separates the material consistently, not when one corner happens to break free. Examine both faces and the edge.
| What to inspect | What a useful result looks like | What to change if it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Cut-through | The intended shape releases or can be removed with only normal handling. | If no cell cuts through, test a suitable increase in power, a lower speed, or additional passes within machine limits. |
| Edge charring or melting | Discoloration and deformation are limited to what the project permits. | Try a faster movement, lower power, improved focus, or multiple passes instead of one excessively hot pass. |
| Kerf and fit | The slot is consistent enough for the design’s required fit. | Choose the cell with the most consistent edge, then account for its measured kerf in the design if necessary. |
| Repeatability | Repeated features cut through across the whole test area. | Check focus, flatness, airflow, material consistency, and unit or controller settings before changing power. |
| Smoke and residue | Smoke is managed by the specified enclosure and exhaust, with limited soot on the work. | Verify exhaust and approved air assist, and avoid compensating for poor ventilation by changing laser settings. |
The cutting objective is not maximum penetration at any cost. LightBurn’s guidance recommends seeking the lowest power and highest speed that still cut through reliably without scorching.
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How to judge an engraving test
Engraving has no single “correct” darkness. Decide what the artwork requires first: a pale mark, strong contrast, a photographic range, or crisp fine detail. Then compare cells against that target.
| What to inspect | Questions to ask | Likely adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Tone and contrast | Is the mark dark or light enough for the material and design? | Adjust power or speed in small steps; more heat generally darkens the mark, but stop when scorching begins. |
| Edge detail | Do small features remain separated, or have they spread and blurred? | Reduce excess heat, check focus, and test a different speed-power balance. |
| Line interval | Are there gaps between scan lines, or are adjacent lines overburning? | Use a suitable interval for the material; closer spacing is not automatically better. |
| Surface residue | Is soot obscuring the intended tone? | Check approved air assist and exhaust, and compare a cleaner cell rather than simply increasing power. |
| Run time | Does the chosen finish justify the time required? | Among cells that meet the visual target, prefer the faster one that preserves detail. |
A darker mark is not necessarily a better engraving. Extra heat can widen details, char the surface, and add smoke while providing little additional useful contrast.
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First verify focus, material thickness, speed units, and controller scaling. If those are correct, test a range with more power, slower movement, or additional passes that remains inside the machine’s limits. Keep the material and all non-tested variables unchanged.
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Reduce heat delivered to each point by trying a faster speed or lower power. If penetration then becomes insufficient, test multiple passes rather than returning to one very hot pass. Confirm that air assist and exhaust are operating as the machine specifies.
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The engraving is too light
Move toward a combination that delivers more heat by increasing power or slowing speed in controlled increments. Check that the line interval provides adequate coverage and that the focus is correct. Do not jump directly to maximum power; a smaller change reveals whether tone or detail is the limiting factor.
The engraving is too dark or muddy
Reduce heat with a faster pass or lower power, and test a wider interval if the filled area is overburning. Inspect the surface after cleaning only by a method approved for that material, because residue can make a sound engraving appear darker than it is.
Results vary across the same test
Variation can indicate non-flat stock, inconsistent focus, a dirty lens, changing airflow, or a material with uneven composition. Correct the physical cause and rerun the comparison before creating a new power recipe.
Document a recipe that can be repeated
Save the software test preset when available, and keep a separate record that travels with the material. A useful entry contains:
- Laser make, model, laser type, and controller.
- Material name, supplier or batch identifier, surface finish, and measured thickness.
- Focus method or measured focus position.
- Speed value and unit (mm/s or mm/min).
- Power value and whether it represents a software percentage, controller value, or another scale.
- Number of passes and whether the passes were aligned or offset.
- Line interval for filled engraving.
- Air-assist and exhaust state.
- Test date, selected cell, and observations about cut-through, tone, kerf, charring, and run time.
Retest after a material change and after any meaningful change to the laser, optics, focus, controller configuration, airflow, or thickness. A saved recipe documents a known result; it does not guarantee the same result under changed conditions.
Safety checks before every job
- Confirm the material is approved for the machine; do not cut PVC, vinyl, or unidentified plastics.
- Check enclosure, exhaust, and any required filtration before firing.
- Place matching scrap securely and keep the beam path clear.
- Preview and frame the job so the test or design cannot run outside the intended area.
- Verify speed units and controller maximum-output settings.
- Remain present for the entire test or production run, especially at low speeds and high powers.
- Stop immediately for flame, unexpected smoke, movement of the stock, or a smell indicating the material is not suitable.
Boss Laser’s support instructions summarize the operating approach as starting conservatively, testing, and staying with the machine. Follow the specific emergency and shutdown procedure supplied with your laser.
A practical decision rule
When two settings both meet the design requirement, choose the one that uses less heat and finishes faster without sacrificing reliability. For cuts, that normally means the highest speed and lowest power that produce complete, repeatable separation with acceptable kerf and edge quality. For engraving, it means the fastest, least aggressive combination that reaches the required tone, coverage, and detail. If no setting meets those criteria, revisit focus, material suitability, units, airflow, and machine limits before simply increasing power.
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