Fiber vs CO₂ Engraving: Which Laser to Use for Which Materials?

Choosing between a Fiber laser and a CO₂ laser for engraving can be confusing — especially when different materials require different wavelengths, temperatures, and absorption rates. This guide provides a full material-by-material comparison, backed by real factory-tested engraving parameters from both Fiber (800W / 1200W) and CO₂ (80W / 130W) systems.

This is not a “generic comparison.” Every data point in this article comes directly from actual GWEIKE engraving tables, including：

  • 800W Fiber engraving (Stainless / Carbon Steel / Aluminum / Brass)
  • 1200W Fiber engraving (same materials)
  • 80W CO₂ engraving (Acrylic, MDF, Leather, Wood, Cloth, Rubber, PVC*)
  • 130W CO₂ engraving (same materials)

The result is a practical guide that tells you, with real numbers: “Which laser works best for which material—and why?”


Fast Answer: Which Laser for Which Materials?

If you need a quick recommendation, this table summarizes 90% of real-world use cases：

Material Type Recommended Laser Typical Depth Example Parameter (from your tables) Notes
Stainless Steel Fiber 0.05 mm 800W: 16–33% power, 800 mm/s, 5–6 bar High contrast, fast marking
Carbon Steel Fiber 0.05 mm 800W: 16–33% power, -1 focus Same process window as stainless
Aluminum Fiber 0.05 mm 800W: 33–43% power High-reflection → needs more power
Brass Fiber 0.05 mm 800W: 33–43% power Same as aluminum, strong heat transfer
Acrylic CO₂ 0.1–3.0 mm 80W: 12–40% power, 1–2 bar Deep engraving up to 3 mm
MDF / Plywood CO₂ 0.1–3.0 mm 80W: 12–40% power More smoke → requires air assist
Leather / Cloth CO₂ 0.1–1.0 mm 80W: 12–26% power Soft organic material → low power needed
Rubber Stamp Board CO₂ 0.5–1.0 mm 80W: 22–26% power Perfect vertical walls at slower speed
Important: PVC appears in the original CO₂ parameter table, but is not recommended for engraving because it releases chlorine gases. Use acrylic / PETG instead.


Fiber vs CO₂: How the Light Interacts With Materials

Wavelength & Absorption

Laser Type Wavelength Best Absorbed By Poorly Absorbed By
Fiber Laser ~1064 nm Metals (Stainless, CS, Aluminum, Brass) Acrylic, wood, leather (mostly transparent)
CO₂ Laser 10.6 μm Organic materials (Wood, Acrylic, Leather, Rubber) Bare metals

Engraving Depth Differences

Laser Type Typical Engraving Depth Based on Your Data
Fiber (800W/1200W) 0.02–0.05 mm All materials in your table use 0.05 mm
CO₂ (80W/130W) 0.1–3.0 mm Acrylic/MDF/Wood tables cover 0.1–3.0 mm


Metals: Fiber Laser Dominates (With Real Data)

Metal is where Fiber completely outperforms CO₂. Below is the breakdown using your real numbers.

Stainless Steel Engraving

Laser Power Engraving Depth Power (%) Nozzle Height Focus Pressure High Speed Best Speed
800W Fiber 0.05 mm 16–33% 5 mm -1 5–6 bar 800 mm/s 400 mm/s
1200W Fiber 0.05 mm 14–23% 5 mm -1 5–6 bar 800 mm/s 400 mm/s

Key takeaway: 1200W achieves the same engraving depth using 14–23%, compared to 16–33% on 800W — a noticeably larger process window and better long-run stability.

Carbon Steel (Same Window)

The parameters for carbon steel are identical to stainless steel, confirming high consistency in shallow metal marking.

Aluminum & Brass: High-Reflection Materials

Laser Power Material Depth Power (%) Speed
800W Fiber Aluminum 0.05 mm 33–43% 800/400 mm/s
1200W Fiber Aluminum 0.05 mm 20–33% 800/400 mm/s
800W Fiber Brass 0.05 mm 33–43% 800/400 mm/s
1200W Fiber Brass 0.05 mm 20–33% 800/400 mm/s

Here the difference is dramatic: high-reflection materials require up to 43% power on 800W, but only 33% on 1200W. This is one of the strongest arguments for upgrading power.

Non-Metals: CO₂ Laser Engraving (Full 0.1–3.0 mm Data)

This is where your CO₂ engraving tables shine. With real depth-power curves, we can build a fully data-backed guide.

Acrylic Engraving Settings (80W & 130W)

Acrylic is one of the cleanest materials to engrave with a CO₂ laser. Here’s the full depth–power mapping from your table:

Depth 80W Power (%) 130W Power (%) Speed Pressure
0.1 mm 12–14% 10–12% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
0.2 mm 14–16% 12–14% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
0.5 mm 22–24% 18–20% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
1.0 mm 24–26% 20–22% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
2.0 mm 30–35% 25–30% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
3.0 mm 35–40% 30–35% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar

Observations:

  • Power increases almost linearly with depth.
  • 130W uses noticeably lower power % at the same depth.
  • Even at full 3 mm depth, the power stays under 40%.

 

MDF (High-Density Board)

MDF settings mirror acrylic closely, but the material burns more easily. Here is your MDF table, exactly as provided:

Depth 80W Power (%) 130W Power (%) Speed Pressure
0.1 mm 12–14% 10–12% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
0.2 mm 14–16% 12–14% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
0.5 mm 22–24% 18–20% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
1.0 mm 24–26% 20–22% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
2.0 mm 30–35% 25–30% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
3.0 mm 35–40% 30–35% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
Tip: MDF produces far more smoke than acrylic. Keep air assist at 1–2 bar (as the table suggests) to avoid charring the surface.

Leather Engraving (0.1–1.0 mm)

Depth 80W Power (%) 130W Power (%) Speed Pressure
0.1 mm 12–14% 10–12% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
0.2 mm 14–16% 12–14% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
0.5 mm 22–24% 18–20% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar
1.0 mm 24–26% 20–22% 800/400 mm/s 1–2 bar

Leather behaves similarly to MDF at shallow depths but burns more easily.

 

Wood (Except Rare Hardwoods)

This table is identical to MDF, meaning you can reuse the same engraving curve.


Cloth, Rubber Board, Paper

These materials absorb CO₂ extremely well, making them ideal for high-speed engraving at relatively low power settings.

Material Depth 80W Power (%) 130W Power (%) Notes
Cloth 0.1–0.5 mm 12–24% 10–20% Very fast vaporization, low power needed
Rubber Board 0.1–1.0 mm 12–26% 10–22% Ideal for stamp making
Paper 0.1 mm 12–14% 10–12% Same as cloth


PVC (Not Recommended)

Your table includes PVC values (same as cloth/paper), but PVC produces chlorine gases when lasered. We include the data for completeness but strongly recommend avoiding PVC in any real project. For safety reasons, please refer to our PVC guidelines before cutting any plastics. If you’re unsure whether your material is PVC, check our identification tips.


Special Cases Where Both Lasers Work

Anodized Aluminum

Fiber engraves into the metal. CO₂ removes the dye layer only.

Painted or Powder-Coated Metals

CO₂ can remove coatings cleanly. Fiber can mark through the coating into the metal.


Choosing the Right Laser by Application

If you engrave mostly non-metals:

CO₂ is the correct choice (acrylic, MDF, leather, rubber).

If you engrave metals:

Fiber is required (stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, brass).

If you engrave both:

The best solution is a multi-process machine or a combination of Fiber + CO₂.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ Schema Ready)

Can a CO₂ laser engrave stainless steel?

CO₂ lasers are not the primary choice for steel, but with oxygen-assist, they can effectively cut 2 mm mild steel when needed. See below for setup instructions.

Can a Fiber laser engrave acrylic or wood?

No. These materials are transparent to 1064 nm fiber wavelength.

How deep can CO₂ engrave?

Up to 3 mm based on your acrylic/MDF/wood tables (at 35–40% power on 80W).

Is Fiber faster on metals?

Yes. Your tables show 800 mm/s high-speed mode on 800W & 1200W.


Need Material-Specific Settings?

See our full engraving parameter guides for each material (Acrylic, Wood, Leather, Stainless Steel, etc.).

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