Laser Settings Converter
Move a setting that works on one laser to another laser, lens or line interval by keeping the same energy per area.
Converted setting
Results are starting points, not guarantees. Lasers can start fires and damage eyes — follow your machine’s safety instructions and never leave a running laser.
Quick answer
To keep the same result on a laser with different power, keep the energy the same: for filled engraving that is power × power % ÷ (speed × line interval). Example: 80 % at 100 mm/s on a 10 W laser gives the same energy as 80 % at 200 mm/s on a 20 W laser of the same type. Confirm with a small test card — lasers of different types or spot sizes do not convert exactly.
Convert laser speed units
Enter a speed in any unit to see it in mm/s, mm/min and in/min.
How to use this converter
- Choose Raster (filled engraving) or Vector (lines and cuts).
- Enter a setting that already works for you on the first laser.
- Enter the second laser’s optical power, line interval and passes.
- Choose whether to keep your power % and get a new speed, or keep a speed and get a new power %.
- Press “Make a test card around this setting” to check the result on the real material.
Worked example
A 10 W laser engraves well at 80 %, 100 mm/s, 0.1 mm line interval. Energy = 10 × 0.80 ÷ (100 × 0.1) = 0.800 J/mm². On a 20 W laser at 80 %, the same energy needs 200 mm/s.
On a 5 W laser at 40 mm/s with a 0.08 mm interval, it needs 51.2 % power.
How it’s calculated
- Raster: energy per mm² = optical power (W) × power % ÷ 100 ÷ (speed in mm/s × line interval in mm) × passes.
- Vector: energy per mm = optical power (W) × power % ÷ 100 ÷ speed (mm/s) × passes.
- We keep that energy equal on the other laser and solve for speed or power.
- Limits: this ignores spot size, wavelength, acceleration and material behaviour, so treat it as the center of a test card, not a final setting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does double the power mean double the speed?
Roughly, for the same laser type and spot size: doubling optical power at the same power % lets you about double the speed for the same energy. Real materials don't respond perfectly linearly, so test around the result.
My laser box says 40 W — what do I enter?
Enter the optical output power from the spec sheet. Some listings show a single wattage without saying whether it is optical or electrical input power; check the manual or the manufacturer's spec page.
Can I convert settings from a diode laser to a CO2 laser?
Not reliably. Materials absorb the two wavelengths very differently. Use the converter only between lasers of the same type, and run a test card.
Why is mm/s vs mm/min so important?
100 mm/s is 6000 mm/min. Mixing them up makes a setting 60× too fast or too slow; too slow can start a fire. The converter shows both.
Sources
- LightBurn — Speed vs Power
lower speed delivers more energy; mm/s vs mm/min
- Creality Falcon — Laser engraver optical power (27 Apr 2026)
optical vs electrical power
Last reviewed: 2026-10-26
Built and maintained by Numberwright. Every formula on this page is listed under “How it’s calculated”, with its sources. Found a mistake? Contact details coming soon.
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