1. Why is the engraved Image not good for the S1 infrared laser module?
Possible Causes
- Check if the laser is focused properly according to the instructions below.
- If the laser is focused properly, you will see a white laser spot on the surface of the processing material and hear a sound during processing.
- The effective focal depth for the infrared laser module is 3.6mm. Theoretically, you can see a white laser spot when the processing depth is limited to 3.6mm. The brighter the white laser spot is, the more properly the laser is focused.
- Try a higher lines-per-cm value in XCS or a higher lines-per-inch value in LightBurn.
- Check LightBurn settings.
- When you engrave with a bitmap image, "Constant Power Mode" should be disabled.
- For vector engraving, "Constant Power Mode" should be enabled.
.jpg)
- Check if the processing parameters are set properly according to the material.
2. Why is the engraved image unclear?
The laser spot size for the infrared laser module is 0.03mm × 0.03mm, so its engraving traces are very slim.
If the engraved image has a lower resolution, try a higher lines-per-cm value in XCS or a higher lines-per-inch value in LightBurn.
3. Why won't the IR module focus the laser properly?
The focus depth of the infrared laser module is 3.6mm, which makes it harder to focus the laser module on the processing material.
Before focusing, make sure the processing material surface is flat and the auto-focus function of S1 is properly enabled.
Note: Before engraving on precious metals, it's recommended to measure the focal length on other metals.
4. How to confirm if the laser is focused properly?
If the laser is focused properly, you will see a white laser spot on the surface of the processing material and hear a sound during processing.
The effective focal depth for the infrared laser module is 3.6mm. Theoretically, you can see a white laser spot when the processing depth is limited to 3.6mm. The brighter the white laser spot is, the more properly the laser is focused.
5. What is the actual output power of the infrared laser module?
The infrared laser module uses laser pumping for the delivery of pulsed laser, and the average output power value is higher than 2W.
The difference between the pulsed laser and the 455nm blue laser: the maximum power value of the pulsed laser could reach 15KW, which allows the infrared laser to process any metals.
6. What influence will the working temperature have on the infrared laser module?
The working temperature of the infrared laser module is -10°C~+30°C（14°F~86°F).
If the temperature is below this range, preheating is recommended by running a project first.
Please refer to the table below for proper preheat time for stable laser output.
| Surrounding Temperature | Preheat Time Requirement |
| -10°C~0°C（14°F~32°F） | 120s |
| 0°C~10°C（32°F~50°F） | 70s |
| 10°C（50°F） | 7s~8s |
If the temperature is too low, the device will preheat itself when it is turned on.
7. Can the infrared laser module be used to cut the plastics?
No, it can't. It's not recommended to cut any material including the metal with the infrared laser module.
8. Which one is better for engraving the stainless steel, the 2W infrared laser module or the 20W blue laser module?
With a 100% power value, the engraving depth of both laser modules is about the same.
However, the blue laser can't engrave gold, silver, or aluminum (raw or silver), while the infrared laser can engrave on any metal and you don't need to apply paint or laser engraving marking paper to the metal.
9. The infrared laser module is only 2W in power, but it can still engrave metal. Why?
Although the average power of the infrared laser module is 2W, its peak power can be as high as 15KW.
It can achieve the same result as a 20W blue laser module engraving on stainless steel at 100% processing power. It can also engrave gold, silver, or aluminum (raw or silver) which the 20W blue laser can't.
10. What material can the infrared laser engrave?
11. Can the infrared laser module cut or engrave transparent acrylic?
12. Can the infrared laser module cut metal?
It can cut 0.05mm aluminum, stainless steel, and copper. However, it's not recommended to cut metal for a long time. Cutting metal will produce a large amount of heat, which may cause damage to the machine parts.
13. What is the maximum depth for the infrared laser module?
About 0.05mm.
14. Can I do color engraving on metal using the infrared laser module?
No. Only blue laser can have that effect on stainless steel and titanium.
15. Is the infrared laser module hot-swappable?
No. You'll have to change the laser module when the machine is powered off.
16. Why can't I get a perfect engraving on black acrylics?
Please check if the black acrylic meets the conditions below.
- The acrylic should be opaque.
The laser will pass through transparent (or semi-transparent) acrylics.
- Cast acrylics are recommended instead of extruded acrylics.
According to our lab, cast acrylics usually give the best engraving results.
Therefore, it's recommended to engrave on a cast acrylic that's black and opaque.
17. Why won't flame detection work with the infrared laser module?
Since the infrared laser triggers a false alarm of flame detection, the detection will be disabled by the system during infrared lasering.
Services & Help
Learn & Community
Contact Us
Copyright © 2025 xTool All Rights Reserved.