Laser Engraver Settings Guide: Official Starting Points and a Safer Test Method
Key takeaways
- A software power percentage is meaningful only for the current machine and module setting; it cannot be converted directly into fixed optical wattage.
- Save material grade, color, thickness, batch, focus, air assist, and lens condition with every setting.
- The table below organizes recommended starting points from AtomStack material settings so you can begin a first test quickly.
- PVC, unidentified plastics, unknown coatings, and composites without a known SDS do not belong in a settings chart.
A laser settings chart is a test starting point, not a guaranteed recipe. Two suppliers may sell “3mm birch plywood” with different glue layers, moisture, and surface treatments. Lens cleanliness, focus, and air assist also change the result on the same machine. Check the official recommendation first, then run a matrix on scrap from the same batch.
Power percentage is not optical wattage
In software, 50% usually means half of the available output range for the current machine; it does not mean a fixed 50W. The 50% setting on a 10W module is not interchangeable with 50% on a 70W module. Electrical input is not laser optical output either. Always record the machine, module mode, software power percentage, speed unit, and pass count together.
Start with the official AtomStack material library
Our official material parameter library organizes speed, power, and pass recommendations by machine. Select the correct device, find the closest match to your material, and run the first test on scrap.
| Machine | Material | Thickness | Process | Speed | Power | Passes | Test note |
| A70 Max | Basswood | 15mm | Cutting | 300mm/min | 90% | 1 | Retest with scrap from the same batch |
| A70 Max | Pine | 20mm | Cutting | 120mm/min | 90% | 1 | Knots and moisture change the result |
| A70 Max | Paulownia | 18mm | Cutting | 350mm/min | 90% | 1 | Confirm edge quality on the same batch |
| A70 Max | Bamboo board | 5mm | Cutting | 1,000mm/min | 90% | 1 | Verify the laminated structure separately |
| A70 Max | Leather | 4mm | Cutting | 800mm/min | 90% | 5 | Process only identified, non-PVC material |
| A70 Max | Acrylic | 8mm | Cutting | 100mm/min | 90% | 1 | Confirm color and grade; evaluate clear sheet separately |
| A70 Max | MDF | 9mm | Cutting | 200mm/min | 90% | 1 | Check adhesive composition and SDS |
| A70 Max | Kraft paper | 0.6mm | Cutting | 9,000mm/min | 90% | 1 | High fire risk; supervise continuously |
| Kraft 20W blue | Basswood | 6mm | Cutting | 120mm/min | 80% | 1 | Retest glue layers and focus |
| Kraft 20W blue | Paulownia | 10mm | Cutting | 100mm/min | 80% | 1 | Start with a coupon and watch charring |
| Kraft 20W blue | Acrylic | 5mm | Cutting | 60mm/min | 80% | 1 | Confirm color and grade first |
| Kraft 20W blue | MDF | 3mm | Cutting | 100mm/min | 80% | 1 | Use strong exhaust and check the SDS |
| Kraft 1.2W IR | Copper | Not stated | Bitmap engraving | 1,000mm/min | 80% | 1 | Start with a small matrix |
| Kraft 1.2W IR | Brushed stainless steel | Not stated | Bitmap engraving | 3,000mm/min | 80% | 1 | Results vary with surface condition |
See the complete entries in the official A70 Max parameters and official Kraft parameters.
Find your setting with a test matrix
Cut a small coupon and confirm its composition. For engraving, use speed on one axis and power on the other. For cutting, hold a safe power level and gradually reduce speed or add passes. Mark each cell with the real value instead of relying only on the software preview.
Score four items: detail, color or depth, edge, and cleanliness. For cutting, add rear breakthrough, taper, and time per part. Choose the lowest-energy setting that meets quality as your starting point. Run at least 3 consecutive repeats to confirm it was not a one-off; for batch production, add a long-duration job.
How to record air assist, masking, and focus
Air assist clears smoke from the kerf, but too much flow during engraving can move light stock or change surface color. Paper masking may reduce smoke stains on wood while also changing absorption and exhaust behavior; record tape brand and layer count. Record focus at the surface, middle, or stepped down by pass—never write only “automatic.”
Five settings you should not copy directly
- Percentages from machines with different optical power;
- Settings for materials with the same name but a different grade or color;
- “Wattage” based on machine input power;
- Extreme depth claims without air-assist, focus, and lens-condition details;
- Settings for PVC, unidentified plastic, unknown coatings, or other unconfirmed compositions.
Build a QR-coded record for every material batch: supplier, batch, measured thickness, date, machine, module mode, speed, power, passes, airflow, focus, result photos, and operator. In the official AtomStack material library, select the correct machine, then save your coupon-tested result as the current production version.
How to know when a setting is production-ready
A good-looking matrix only identifies candidates. Before adoption, process at least 3 consecutive parts at the most difficult location of the finished design and compare the first and last part for color, dimensions, and breakthrough. For batch production, expand the test to a complete run and record lens contamination and smoke in the machine. If you must clean or refocus mid-run, include that maintenance time in capacity.
Give the settings chart a version number. When the supplier, firmware, nozzle, lens, or software S-value range changes, mark the old setting “retest required.” Production operators use only the current version; extreme experimental settings stay under a separate label.
Save engraving and cutting separately
For each material, save at least three recipes: fine engraving, dark fill, and clean cutting. Fine engraving favors a small spot and lower heat. Dark fills balance line interval and overburn. Cutting focuses on breakthrough, taper, and fire risk. Do not apply high cutting airflow directly to photo engraving, and do not use engraving speed to judge cutting depth.
Conclusion
A reliable chart stores the machine, material identity, process goal, air assist, focus, passes, and result—not speed and power alone. Open the official AtomStack material library, select your machine, and begin a settings card with scrap from the same batch.
FAQ
Q1: Is 50% power on a 10W machine the same as 50% on a 70W machine?
A: No. The percentage depends on the available output range of the current module and must be stored with the machine, module mode, and software S-value range.
Q2: Why does the same setting produce a different result on another sheet?
A: Supplier, formulation, batch, color, thickness, environment, and machine condition all affect the result. A coupon from the same batch provides a quick calibration.
Q3: When is a settings chart complete?
A: When every value includes material identity, test date, machine, complete settings, repeated samples, result photos, and a passed quality and safety review.
