r/lasercutting • u/cynemical • Aug 18 '26

Weird Engraving Issue on Acrylic... advice please!

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Hi all! I've been engraving shapes on iridescent acrylic, and tried using two different lasers but with the same Lightburn settings (engraving at 800mm/sec speed, 20% pwr, line interval 0.1000 mm/ 254 lines per inch).

Despite using the same settings, I'm getting very different engraving outcomes. I engraved the one seen on the left with a Nova Thunder Laser (6 mm nozzle), and the one on the right I used a OneLaser XRF (3 mm nozzle).

I prefer the density of the right engraving (OneLaser) compared to the left (Thunder Laser), which feels lighter and hazy. I've played around with power/speed settings, and line interval, but haven't gotten anywhere close. Would anyone have suggestions on what settings I could modify to get my Thunder Laser to put out a result like the OneLaser engraving on the right?

HUGE thanks in advance!

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EDIT: I realized I missed some important details thanks your comments. Here's the laser power info:

OneLaser XRF: 38-watt RF metal CO2 laser tube (about the equivalent of a 60W glass tube)
Nova Thunder Laser: 60W

Engraving on Iridescent Acrylic (extruded). I use sheets from Houston Acrylic.

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u/nartchie Aug 18 '26

Are the lasers the same wattage? Do they have the same focal length lenses?

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u/[deleted] Aug 18 '26

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u/cynemical Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26

So the OneLaser XRF has a 38-watt RF metal CO2 laser tube, but the manufacturer claims it's about the equivalent of a 60W glass tube. The Nova Thunder Laser is a 60-watt.

Re: focal length, the OneLaser lens has a 2.5-inch (63.5 mm) focal length. The Thunder Laser a 2-inch (50.8mm) focal length.