How Much Laser Power Is Enough?

This article addresses the problem of adjusting the power settings on a laser engraver, and provides practical suggestions for avoiding pitfalls.The software includes parameters for common materials such as metal, plastic, and glass, helping users avoid problems such as engraving failure and material damage and improving the quality of the finished product.

Why is it so important to be able to set the power?

The power of a laser engraver is like the heat of a stove--too little and it doesn't work, too much and it burns.Most of the problems that beginners encounter--such as unclear etching, burned material, or the machine sounding an alarm--are due to the power not being set properly.Different materials react differently to lasers, and to save time and material, one must first understand this.

Power parameters of common materials.

Metal materials (stainless steel / aluminum / titanium).

Metal requires a higher power setting to show color, but never set it to the maximum. It is recommended that you test starting at 50 % power. For example, stainless steel generally gives the best results at 60-80 %.Aluminum is highly reflective, so you can add 10 % power compensation, and at the same time slow the marking speed to prevent excessive oxidation.

Plastic and acrylic.

These kinds of materials are most afraid of high temperature deformation.Chlorine-containing plastics like PVC are especially dangerous--if the temperature exceeds 300 degrees, they may release harmful gases.He recommends using a low power setting of 20-40 %, with a high frequency setting, which will guarantee a clear image while avoiding the problem of bubbling.

Glass and ceramics.

If you want to achieve a fine frosted effect, remember the rule of "low power, many passes.The laser power is controlled at 15-25 % for each pass, and the process is repeated three to five times. This is less likely to cause cracking than a single high-powered cut.Ceramic materials can be raised to 30 % as long as the surface is kept moist and cool.

These are four common pitfalls that cannot be avoided.

Dark materials are made transparent.

If black plastic turns white after being laser marked, it is likely that the laser power was too high and burned through the surface coating.First, we tried reducing the power by 20 % and increasing the engraving speed by one level. We were able to complete the engraving while preserving the base color.

Reflective materials eat up lasers.

For metals and other reflective materials, it is recommended that you use a higher power setting and apply a matte coating to the surface before marking.Don't worry about the cost of the film, it's cheaper than wasting time and effort in trial and error.

But the results were disastrous.

The difference in light absorption between 304 and 430 stainless steel is two percent.Each time a new material is used, a step test is performed. A single piece of material is divided into five areas. The etching is performed using five different power levels, and the best one is selected.

A few small tips.

1. First adjust the focus.

2. Keep a notebook: Note the thickness of the material, its color, and the temperature and humidity of the environment.

Regularly clean the lens: A dirty lens will reduce the light intensity by 70 %.

4. Test cut three times before mass production. The difference between batches of material is much greater than you might imagine.

Finally, a bit of hard truth: There is no universal table of parameters. The actual results depend on the model of the machine, the age of the machine, and even the stability of the power supply.It's more important to grasp the principles than to memorize numbers.