Right resolution for the laser engraving

Choosing the proper resolution for the image that you want to laser engrave will have a huge impact on the appearance of your finished product. The graphic content, material being used and processing time, are all additional variables that will also play an important role as well.

Material and graphic content

Laser engraving result at 333 dpi — Laser engraving result at 250 dpi

Laser engraving result at 250 dpi — Laser engraving result at 333 dpi

Right resolution for laser engraving — Laser engraving result at 1000 dpi

Material impact

Materials will absorb energy during the laser engraving process. Due to the amount of heat that is produced, the dots will grow larger in size and can even overlap (= “dot bleed”). This property is important and must be considered when photo engraving, and the proper resolution is crucial to avoiding this issue.

Material used	Preferred resolutions
glass, stone, textile, wood	lower resolutions: 125, 250 and 333 dpi
acrylic, cardboard, paper, laminates	moderate resolutions: from 500 to 600 dpi
metal, stamps, processing with fiber laser	higher resolutions: from 600 to 1000 dpi

Graphic content

Depending on the amount of detail that your graphic file has, we recommend increasing the image resolution to 600 dpi to allow for the very fine details to be optimally engraved. This will ensure that the laser engraved image does not lose clarity, despite the “dot bleed” described above.

Laser engraving with different resolutions

Processing times

As the image resolution is increased, the amount of time that the laser will take to process your engraving will also subsequently increase.

If you select a different resolution for your file, you can also save engraving time. For example, with a large-scale engraving, select a lower resolution and higher Z offset value to compensate for the resulting line spacing.

Achieve consistent engraving results in 1/4 of the typical processing time

See our example on how you can engrave a graphic with 500 dpi in ¼ of the time, while achieving similar results as an image with 125 dpi:

Speedy 360, 80 Watt, P=65%, v=50%
Resolution	125 dpi	250 dpi	333 dpi	500 dpi
z-Offset	+12 mm	+12 mm	+9 mm	+6 mm
time [h]	1.52	3.31	4.28	6.47

Exceptions for laser engraving on stamp rubber:

In this scenario, using a higher resolution will result in an increase of energy density during the laser engraving process. For example, using 500 dpi to laser engrave a stamp will require the engraving speed to be reduced to achieve the recommended depth of 1.1 mm. Conversely, engraving can be faster with a resolution of 1,000 dpi and therefore processing time can be saved despite the increased file size.

Looking for additional information?

Do you need additional assistance with selecting the proper resolution or do you have any further questions regarding laser processing? Contact the us today and one of our top qualified and highly motivated laser experts will gladly assist you.

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