What is laser cutting paper and paper engraving, and how does it work?
Discover our paper laser cutting and engraving machines
Paper laser cutting and engraving transforms a simple medium into a highly personalised, aesthetic, and creative object. The CO2 paper laser engraving technology is the ideal tool to cut and add refined effects on a wide variety of papers: textured, cardboard, recycled, coloured, or even parchment. Thanks to its contactless, ink-free, and extreme precision, paper laser cutting and engraving enhances your creations in small or medium production runs.
Therefore, paper laser engraving broadens the possibility to create unique special events announcements, business cards or bookmarks, and to personalise packaging, notebook or diary covers. Moreover, for architectural professionals, Fablabs, or Makerspaces, using a paper laser cutter or engraving machine allows precise paper cuts and paper engraving for prototypes, models, or any projects.
What are the paper laser cutters and engravers?
The LS100, LS100EX, and LS900 laser tables equipped with CO2 sources are perfect for fine paper laser engraving and cutting, as well as other organic materials such as wood or glass. Without compromising on quality, their large marking area allows for serial personalisation and cutting large sheets of paper, ideal for creating folding cartons and models. Using a paper laser cutter is the best alternative to die cutting.
Technical recommendation: a short focal lens (1.5'') ensures an ultra-clean cut (~0.1 mm) without burning effects, ideal for artistic cuts, lace effects, and complex patterns. Learn more about lenses in our lens guide.
Small CO2 laser engraver and cutter for personalisation, signage and creative.
LS100
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Medium CO2 or Fiber laser engraving and cutting machine for signage and small series.
LS100 EX
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Large laser engraver and cutter that can do everything.
LS900
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Compact, quiet, and elegant, the WeLase™ paper laser engraving station is the ideal solution for quick and personalised paper engraving at the point of sale or for events. It enables precise paper laser and cutting engraving of cards, invitations, or small paper items like perfume or cosmetic packaging.
Its CO2 laser source allows wide compatibility with paper and other organic materials like wood or glass and delivers a striking “wow effect” during live personalisation events.
What is the best between paper laser engraving and printing?
Paper laser engraving offers a clean and modern alternative to traditional printing and die-cutting techniques, especially when it comes to short or medium personalised production runs. The key advantages of paper laser cutting and engraving over printing and die-cutting are:
- No consumables needed: the laser interacts directly with the material.
- Contactless process: no physical contact with the paper.
- Higher precision than die-cutting: achieve intricate patterns, lace-like details, and fine cuts.
- Variable data personalisation: each item can be uniquely customised without reconfiguration.
- Simplified workflow: faster and easier to implement than offset printing.
- Premium finishing: paper laser cutter delivers clean edges and creative effects that are difficult to replicate with conventional tools.
This makes paper laser engraving an ideal solution for anyone seeking flexibility, quality, and creativity in paper design and personalisation.
Which types of paper can be laser cut?
Types of paper for cutting and engraving
The paper composition greatly influences engraving quality. For paper laser cutting and engraving, performing reaction tests on different types of paper is essential to get the best result possible: some papers darken or whiten, while others react poorly.
⚠️ Avoid chlorine-containing papers (prefer TCF or ECF) and be cautious with the plastic-coated ones as it can release toxic fumes.
Laser paper engraving and cutting is compatible with:
- Standard paper.
- Cardboard.
- Textured, smooth, metallic, recycled papers.
- Laser paper.
- Cardstock.
For a unique result, choose Pergraphica® paper
Pergraphica® coloured sheets deliver excellent laser paper engraving results as it turns a lighter colour when reacting with the beam.
Here is a preset table of the recommended parameters for Pergraphica® paper (250 g/m²) when engraving, doing folding lines, and cutting with a CO2 40W laser machine with a 2'' lens.
| Power | Speed | DPI | Defocalisation | |
| Engraving | 20% | 100% | 300 | 0.5 mm |
| Folding line | 40% | 80% | - | - |
| Cutting | 50% | 65% | - | - |
What can you do with paper laser cutting and engraving?
Paper laser cutting and engraving:
Infinite creative possibilities
Whether the paper changes colour when reacting to the laser beam, or a different layer is revealed giving the engraving a 3D effect, laser paper engraving or cutting serves many high-value-added applications.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of possibilities when using a paper laser cutter or engraver:
- Business cards, event cards.
- Wedding invitations, greeting cards.
- Scrapbooking, arts & crafts, bookmarks.
- Luxury packaging for perfumes or cosmetics: a surprise effect upon opening.
- Notebook covers, agendas, prototyping, models.
- Point of sale displays and presentation elements.
Folding line
(dotted line function)
When creating projects that require folding, such as special event cards, architectural models, or prototypes, clean folds are essential for a more aesthetic visual.
Thus, adding folding lines by creating a dotted line facilitates the assembly of your creations. They are achievable directly in Gravostyle™ software or via graphic design software such as CorelDRAW®. Then, the paper laser cutter will precisely cut the small lines you created, allowing a clean fold on your project.
Print & Cut function
Print & Cut combines two technologies by using two solutions: a printer and paper laser cutting machine, to broaden your creative and unique projects with colours and intricate designs. By using both technologies, you can have the full creativity control, which avoids mishaps and errors.
All our laser tables (LS100, LS100EX, LS900) come standard with the Print & Cut semi-automatic function, via Gravostyle™ software. It enables precise alignment for printing and cutting any material. The LS900 can be upgraded to automatic mode with a camera placed in the machine that automatically recognises markers, therefore, operator intervention is not needed anymore.
What are the tips & tricks for perfect paper engraving and cutting?
Technical advice for paper laser engraving
As paper is a lightweight and flammable material, it is essential to follow some guidelines to get the expected paper engraving result.
Here is a list of tips when doing paper laser cutting or engraving:
- Put air assist and air extraction on their lowest setting to prevent paper movement
- Monitor engraving closely during the entire engraving process to avoid fire hazards
- Clean the laser lens to avoid burnt edges and fire hazards
- Use appropriate accessories:
- Laser cutting bed to avoid marks during paper laser cutting
- Laser nozzle set to minimum to prevent fire hazards and paper movement
- Laser table lenses to have the best cutting quality
Gravostyle™ tips for laser paper cutting and engraving
Here are some advanced settings on Gravostyle™ to go even further when doing laser paper engraving or cutting:
- Nesting mode: when cutting paper, it optimises shape placement to minimise material waste
- Matrix mode: it duplicates a pattern while adding variable data for unique engravings on business cards, envelopes, etc.
| FAQ: the 6 questions most frequently asked of our experts |
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🔽 What settings (power, speed) should I use for paper laser cutting?
The parameters depend on two main factors: the thickness of the paper and the power of your paper laser cutting machine.
As a general rule, use low power and high speed to avoid burning the edges. For paper engraving, we recommend slightly defocusing the laser beam. This reduces the risk of browning the surface when marking the paper.
Each type of paper will react differently, so always perform a test before launching a full production job on your paper laser cutter.
🔽 How do I prevent burning or charring when doing paper laser cutting?
To get clean results with your paper laser cutting, follow these tips:
- Use a laser cutting table to avoid heat buildup underneath the sheet.
- Keep air assist and exhaust power to a minimum to avoid flames or edge charring.
- Be careful: too much air or suction might move the paper, which could cause blurry or misaligned engraving.
These settings are especially important when using a paper laser engraving machine for fine cuts and intricate details.
🔽 Can I laser cut standard printer paper or cardstock?
Yes! Most types of paper and cardboard are compatible with a paper laser cutter:
- Standard printer paper can be cut and engraved with low power and high speed.
- For cardstock, reduce the speed slightly or increase the power to achieve a clean cut.
Always start with a test run and adjust your settings to your specific paper laser cutting machine and material.
🔽 Which papers give the best results for laser engraving?
After numerous tests, Gravotech's favorite paper for laser engraving is the Pergraphica® range. It offers excellent contrast and clean results with both engraving and cutting.
Other high-quality papers for paper laser engraving include: textured or coloured papers, recycled papers, coated papers (test first), laser paper, and parchment-style papers.
Always check that your paper contains no chlorine or plastic coating for optimal results.
🔽 Why does my engraved paper look blurry or burnt?
If your engraved paper appears burnt, your laser settings are likely too aggressive. Try lowering the power, increase the speed and slightly defocus the laser beam for paper engraving.
If the result is blurry, your paper may be moving during the job. We recommend reducing air assist and extraction, and securing the paper to the laser bed using masking tape.
These steps will help ensure crisp, clean results on your paper laser engraving machine.
🔽 Can I engrave photos or text on paper with a laser?
Absolutely, you can engrave text, vector graphics, and even photos using a paper laser cutter and engraver. For best results when engraving photos, you can use Gravostyle's raster mode or the Photolase tool to convert your image into a dot-density pattern. You should avoid grayscale photo engraving on papern, it usually doesn’t produce good results due to the nature of the material. With the right technique, paper laser engraving can bring out detailed, high-quality visuals on all types of paper.
Would you like to personalise cards, create custom packaging, or test a particular paper?
Our experts will assist you in selecting the right paper laser cutting machine and settings.
Contact us now to discuss your project or request a demonstration.
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