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depthue

Free tool

Laser, CNC and 3D printer settings by material

Pick your machine and material. Get a starting point and a test grid to dial it in.

Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

How to use it

  1. 1Pick your machine

    Diode, CO2 or fiber laser, CNC router or FDM printer, then the power class.

  2. 2Find your material

    Filter by material or job to see starting power, speed, passes, interval and notes.

  3. 3Plan a test grid

    Set a power and speed range; the grid shows every combination and its relative energy.

  4. 4Run it in LightBurn

    Copy the grid for LightBurn's Material Test, run it on scrap, and keep the settings from the best cell.

Using a test grid

A test grid is the fastest way to real settings: one run on the exact sheet you will use, with power rising across the columns and speed across the rows. Pick the lightest cell that gives the result you want, which keeps jobs fast and eases wear on the laser. More in laser power and speed settings.

Questions

Are these settings exact?

No. They are conservative starting points. Lens, focus, air assist, module age and the material batch all change the result, which is why the tool includes a test grid.

Why do diode settings change with power class?

Cutting speed scales roughly with optical power, and engraving power percentages drop as the module gets stronger. The diode values are scaled from a 10 W module and labelled as approximate.

What should I never laser?

PVC, vinyl, chrome-tanned leather and unknown plastics. They release toxic or corrosive fumes.

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16-Bit vs 8-Bit Depth Maps for LightBurn 3D Sliced Engraving

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