Laser Settings for Copper
Can you laser engrave copper?
Yes on a fibre laser — but copper is the hardest of the common metals to mark. It's extremely reflective, which makes it both difficult to get energy into and genuinely hazardous to your optics through back-reflection. A MOPA fibre source is strongly preferred. Diode and CO2 can't touch bare copper.
FIBRE1064 nm settings
| Variant | Operation | Speed | Power | Passes | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Mark / engrave | 100–300 mm/s | 80–100% | 1–2 | 20–40 kHz |
⚠ Mark / engraveThe most reflective common metal — tilt 3–5°, and a MOPA source is strongly preferred. Back-reflection can destroy optics. Bare copper is one of the hardest fibre materials; expect to push power.
PrepPreparation & technique
Degrease and tilt the workpiece 3–5° so reflected beam energy doesn't travel back up the beam path. Expect to run high power.
⚠ SafetyBack-reflection from copper can destroy a fibre laser's optics — tilt reflective work, and never mark it dead-flat and square to the beam.
LearnMatching tutorials
All values are starting points at the stated reference wattage. Run a test grid on your own machine and material batch first.