DPI helper
Match DPI to your beam: burned lines should just touch. Higher isn’t better, because overlapping lines go muddy and slow.
Your laser spot size
Recommended
254
DPI · Sweet spot · line gap 0.100 mm
Or start from your machine
How to measure: align the mirrors, find focus with a ramp test, fire a single dot on clear acrylic and measure it with calipers. No calipers? Engrave a strip at 181 / 231 / 282 / 363 / 508 DPI and pick the best one.
Cheat sheet
| DPI | Line gap | Spot (in) | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 127 | 0.200 mm | 0.0079 | Coarse |
| 141 | 0.180 mm | 0.0071 | Coarse |
| 159 | 0.160 mm | 0.0063 | Coarse |
| 181 | 0.140 mm | 0.0055 | Coarse |
| 212 | 0.120 mm | 0.0047 | Sweet spot |
| 254 | 0.100 mm | 0.0039 | Sweet spot |
| 282 | 0.090 mm | 0.0035 | Sweet spot |
| 318 | 0.080 mm | 0.0031 | Sweet spot |
| 363 | 0.070 mm | 0.0028 | Fine detail |
| 423 | 0.060 mm | 0.0024 | Fine detail |
| 508 | 0.050 mm | 0.0020 | Fine detail |
| 635 | 0.040 mm | 0.0016 | Extreme |
| 847 | 0.030 mm | 0.0012 | Extreme |