CutChart / workshop reference
What can each laser cut, engrave or mark?
A laser's material range depends on its source and wavelength as well as power. Cutting through a sheet, engraving a surface and marking a coating are separate claims. Manufacturer charts can help narrow the question, but an exact thickness needs evidence for the machine, material and operation together.
Name the operation before comparing machines
A listing for metal engraving does not answer a metal-cutting question. Epilog's material compatibility chart keeps CO2 cutting and engraving in separate columns. Its fiber table lists engraving. Read those column headings before borrowing a material claim.
The short table below summarizes selected categories from that document and LightBurn's wavelength reference. It is a guide to the next document to read, without speed or power recommendations.
| Source or family | What the cited document supports | What still needs evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Epilog CO2 | Acrylic appears under cutting and engraving; glass under engraving. | Exact machine, thickness and settings. |
| Epilog fiber | Listed stainless-steel grades appear under engraving. | Any claim of cutting through that metal. |
| Blue diode, LightBurn overview | Dark materials interact differently from transparent or light-colored materials. | Exact module, material color and documented operation. |
Read the source name as carefully as the watts
LightBurn's laser-type reference distinguishes blue diodes from infrared diodes and CO2 sources. A machine name can cover more than one module. Record the installed module before choosing a reference.
Use our optical-watt decoder to compare the power fields published for the supported configurations. An electrical input rating cannot fill a missing optical output field. The tool preserves that missing answer.
Make the material question precise
Replace “acrylic” in your job note with the supplier's product and process type. Our cast versus extruded acrylic guide explains why those labels matter for the finish you want.
Replace “metal” with the alloy and the surface treatment named by the supplier. A request to remove a coating and a request to cut a sheet need separate source records. CutChart treats an unmentioned operation as unknown.
Epilog calls for obtaining the material's safety data sheet. A chart's material name does not establish the composition of an unlabeled offcut, adhesive or coating. Keep the supplier documentation with the machine instructions.
Turn the broad question into a checkable one
Before looking for a recipe, write a sentence with these fields: exact machine and module, exact material, thickness or coating, operation, and intended result. Then ask whether the cited document answers that same sentence.
The source process explains how CutChart checks those matches. If your documented setup fails to cut through, use the troubleshooting guide to organize the problem. A broad capability list cannot diagnose the failed job.
Common questions
Does a metal engraving listing mean the laser cuts metal?
No. Epilog's fiber compatibility table lists engraving. That table does not establish metal cutting thicknesses or settings.
Can a wattage label tell me the maximum cutting thickness?
No. You need a documented result for the exact machine, material, thickness and configuration. CutChart does not calculate a thickness from watts.
Source documents
LightBurn Software: Laser Types
Laser Types · Laser; Wavelength; Power
Publication date not printed by LightBurn Software · Read · Captured
The laser beam is generated by a source that dictates its power and wavelength.
Epilog Laser: Material Compatibility for CO2 and Fiber Laser Engravers
Material Compatibility for CO2 and Fiber Laser Engravers · Introduction; CO2 Material Compatibility; Fiber Material Compatibility
Publication date: 2023-10-22 · Source updated · Read · Captured
it is important to obtain the safety data sheet of the material.
Reference information only. Follow the instructions for your exact machine and material. A listed setting does not establish that a job is safe. Read the safety limits.