The Complete Fiber Laser Settings Guide for 12 Different Metals (2026)

Last updated: May 9, 2026 | 20 min read | Tested & verified settings

How To Use This Guide

All settings are calibrated for:

• **2W fiber galvo lasers (Tyvok P2 and similar)

- 1064nm wavelength

• Standard galvo scan lens (100mm focal length)

- Q-switch frequency range: 20-200 kHz For 5W lasers: Multiply power by 0.4-0.5 (use 40-50% power For 10W lasers: Multiply power by 0.2-0.3 (use 20-30% power

**Rule of thumb: Double the power = halve the power percentage. More power doesn't mean better marks.

1. Anodized Aluminum (#1 Most Common)

**This is the easiest metal to engrave and #1 material for 80% of businesses.

Setting	Black Mark	White Mark	Light Etch
Power	30-40%	60-70%	80-90%
Speed	10,000-12,000 mm/s	8,000-10,000 mm/s	3,000-5,000 mm/s
Frequency	60-80 kHz	40-60 kHz	20-40 kHz
Passes	1	1	1-2

Pro Tips for Anodized Aluminum: ✅ Black marks are achieved at lower power + higher speed ✅ White marks are achieved at higher power + lower speed ✅ Anodized aluminum is extremely forgiving. A wide range of settings work. ✅ You can run at maximum speed and still get perfect marks.

**Most people start: 35% power, 10,000 mm/s, 70 kHz = perfect deep black every time.

3. 316 Stainless Steel (Medical Grade)

Similar to 304 but needs slightly different. Slightly harder to mark.

Setting	Value
Power	+10% vs 304
Speed	-20% vs 304
Frequency	Same as 304
Passes	+1 extra pass vs 304

5. Copper

The hardest common metal to mark. Extremely reflective at 1064nm.

Setting	Faint Mark	Dark Mark
Power	80-90%	95-100%
Speed	1,000-1,500 mm/s	300-800 mm/s
Frequency	20-30 kHz	20 kHz
Passes	2-3	5-10

Pro Tips for Copper: ✅ ✅ Extremely clean surface is MANDATORY. ✅ ✅ 2W can get FAINT marks only. ✅ ✅ 5W minimum for usable marks. 10W recommended for production work on copper. ✅ ✅ Black oxide coating first then laser marking spray helps dramatically.

7. Gold (10k, 14k, 18k)

For jewelry marking.

Setting	Value
Power	20-40%
Speed	5,000-8,000 mm/s
Frequency	60-100 kHz
Passes	1

Pro Tips for Gold: ✅ ✅ Gold is soft and marks very easily. ✅ ✅ Start with LOW power first. You can always go darker. Too much power melts the gold surface looks terrible. ✅ ✅ Too much = raised mark looks bad. Keep it light and clean.

9. Chrome / Chrome Plating

Excellent contrast! Chrome marks BEAUTIFULLY. One of our favorites.

Setting	Value
Power	30-50%
Speed	8,000-10,000 mm/s
Frequency	60-80 kHz
Passes	1

Pro Tips for Chrome: ✅ ✅ Produces perfect white marks on dark chrome. ✅ ✅ Very forgiving, wide range of settings work. ✅ ✅ Great for tools and automotive parts! ✅ ⚠️ WARNING: Chrome fumes are TOXIC. Have good ventilation. Seriously.

11. Powder Coated Metal

Similar to paint but much thicker.

Setting	Value
Power	50-70%
Speed	4,000-6,000 mm/s
Frequency	40-60 kHz
Passes	1-2

Plastic & Other Non-Metal Materials That Work With Fiber Lasers

Yes, you CAN mark some plastics with fiber!

ABS Plastic:

• Power: 30-50%

- Speed: 5,000-8,000 mm/s

• Frequency: 80-120 kHz

- Result: Grey/white foaming mark

Dark Plastics (generally work well):

Black ABS, Delrin, phenolic, some nylons.

Plastics That DO NOT work well:

Clear plastics, most acrylics, most transparent plastics. Wood leather work but diode.

The 5 Universal Rules For Perfect Marks Every Time

Rule #1: Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness

**90% of bad marks are from dirty material.

Oil, grease, fingerprints, dust, shipping protection film residue. All of these will completely ruin your mark. ALWAYS: 1. Wipe with isopropyl alcohol 2. Wear gloves or 3. Clean again 4. Only then engrave

Rule #2: Start Fast, Low Power First

You can always go darker by adding power or slower speed or add another pass. You CANNOT un-engrave something once it's too deep.

Start faster, lower power. Then turn it up.

Rule #3: Frequency = Mark Characteristic

**High frequency (80-200 kHz) = smooth, black annealing marks **Medium frequency (40-80 kHz) = good general purpose **Low frequency (20-40 kHz) = deep engraving, material removal

This is the setting 95% of people don't understand. It's not just power and speed. Frequency changes the CHARACTER of your mark.

Rule #4: Multiple Passes Are Better Than One Slow Pass

For dark marks on hard metals:

Bad: 1 pass at 95% power, 500 mm/s Good: 3 passes at 70% power, 2,000 mm/s

Multiple medium power passes = darker, cleaner, more consistent black marks.

And it's actually FASTER total time.

Rule #5: Every Laser Is Slightly Different

These settings will get you 95% of the way there. But every individual laser will be slightly different. Spend 10 minutes testing on scrap material when you first get your laser.

Troubleshooting: Common Problems And Solutions

Problem: Faded, weak mark

**❌ Problem: Faded, weak, not dark enough ✅ Solution: Slow down speed 20% or increase power 10-20%

Problem: Blurry, fuzzy edge definition

❌ Problem: Blurry, not sharp ✅ Solution: Your focus is off. Re-calibrate focus height. This is #1 cause of bad marks.

Problem: Melting / burning / burrs

❌ Problem: Too much power, too slow ✅ Solution: Increase speed, decrease power

Problem: Inconsistent across the mark area

❌ Problem: Some parts dark, some parts light ✅ Solution: 1. Material not flat 2. Lens dirty 3. Calibration off

**👉 Ready to put these settings to work? [Get the Tyvok P2 2W Fiber Galvo](https://tyvok.com/products/tyvok-p2-galvo-laser-engraver) ($149)

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