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Ceramics
When engraving on ceramics, generally use moderate to high power. Using more loops rather than higher power and
lower speed can help avoid cracking the material during work. Be mindful of the health risk posed by dust generated
from ceramic engraving, especially for repetitive industrial applications. Depending on the material and the amount of
work, a fan or even full ventilation system may be required to address the problem. Similarly, operators and others in
the work area may need to use breathing PPE such as masks and respirators.
Glass
When engraving glass, generally use high power and low speed. As with ceramics, it can be helpful to run more loops
at lower settings to avoid cracks. Care must be taken when engraving fibreglass and carbon fibre to avoid combinations
of settings that produce a laser intensity great enough to damage the structural integrity of its component fibres,
producing blurry marking. PPE should be worn to avoid exposure of the eyes, nose, mouth, and skin to the dust
produced by working with either material, especially for repetitive industrial applications. Clothing worn while
working with fibreglass should be washed separately afterwards.
Leather
When engraving leather products, generally use low to moderate power at high speed. Natural leather should be
engraved slightly slower and at slightly higher power than artificial leather. Be especially attentive to the possibility of
fire, as well as the dust produced in repetitive applications.
Metal
CO₂ laser engravers should not be used for marking, engraving, or cutting metal. They are best suited for working
coatings applied to a metal base, and care must be taken not to attempt work on the underlying metal itself. A variety
of coatings specialised for CO₂ engraving are available, and the user should follow the instructions provided as the
parameters vary from product to product and metal to metal. Generally, work on aluminium coatings should be done
more quickly at lower power and work on steel coatings can be done more slowly at higher power.
Paper and Cardboard
When engraving various paper products, generally use low to moderate power and fast speed. Test samples from each
batch, as only small parameter differences can separate effects that are too light from those that burn through the
substrate. As with leather, be especially attentive of the possibility of fire, as well as the dust produced in repetitive
applications.
Plastics
Plastics for engraving are available in many different colours and thicknesses and with many different coatings and
surfaces. The majority of available plastics can be well engraved and cut with the laser. Plastics with a microporous
surface seem to give the best result, because less surface material needs to be removed. When engraving plastics,
generally use low power and high speed settings. Marking and engraving with too much power or at too low a speed
can concentrate too much energy at the point of contact, causing the plastic to melt. Among other problems, this may
18 mm
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24 mm
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1.5 mm 3 mm 6 mm 12 mm
80 W
Speed 25 mm/s 18 mm/s 6 mm/s 4 mm/s
Power 18% 28% 32% 40%
Description
Average Cutting Settings for Artificial Leather
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