Laser engraving time calculator
Engraving fills an area, not a line. Enter the size, scan speed and line interval (or DPI) to estimate raster engraving time per piece and for a whole batch.
How laser engraving time is calculated
Unlike cutting, engraving scans back and forth to fill an area. The head steps down by the line interval after each pass, so a finer interval (higher DPI) means more lines and more time:
(height ÷ line interval) × width ÷ scan speed × coverage = engraving time
A 100 × 60 mm solid fill at 300 mm/s with a 0.1 mm interval is 600 lines × 100 mm = 60,000 mm of travel ÷ 300 ≈ 200 seconds, plus acceleration overhead at each line end (this tool adds ~15%). Coverage lets you account for artwork that isn't a solid block — a thin outline or sparse logo fills far less than 100%.
- Line interval / DPI — halving the interval doubles the time. 0.1 mm (~254 DPI) is a common photo setting; 0.15–0.2 mm is fine for text.
- Coverage — a solid logo is ~100%; outline text might be 15–30%.
- Scan speed — engraving runs far faster than cutting; typical CO2 raster is 200–500 mm/s.
Once you have the minutes, turn them into a price at your hourly rate with the cost calculator.
FAQ
How is laser engraving time calculated?
Engraving fills an area line by line, so time is the number of scan lines (height divided by the line interval) times the width, divided by the scan speed, scaled by how much of the area is actually filled. For example a 100×60 mm solid fill at 300 mm/s with a 0.1 mm interval is about 200 seconds plus acceleration overhead.
Why does higher DPI take so much longer?
DPI sets the line interval — the gap the head steps down between passes. Doubling the DPI halves the interval, which doubles the number of scan lines and therefore doubles the engraving time. Use a fine interval only where you need photographic detail; text and logos look clean at 0.15–0.2 mm.
Does engraving cost the same as cutting?
It's priced the same way — machine time times your hourly rate — but engraving time comes from the filled area, not the outline length, so a solid engraved panel can take far longer (and cost more) than cutting the same shape. Calculate the time here, then price it with the cost calculator.