Skip to content This session combines power measurement with practical engraving tests. Russ measures the output of the 5 W head and then examines PWM, speed and exposure to work out which parameters are really controlling the appearance of a burn.
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What You’ll Learn
- How actual optical power compares with the nominal rating.
- Why PWM percentage is not the same as continuously reducing laser output.
- How speed and exposure time can dominate the colour of a wood burn.
Measure First
Russ uses a laser power meter to establish what the head is actually delivering, providing a better baseline than relying on the number printed on the module.
Power, PWM and Exposure
PWM changes the on/off exposure pattern, while speed determines how long a point on the material remains under the beam. Russ uses the resulting burns to separate those effects.
Why This Session Matters
It sets up the material-test discussion that follows and questions simplistic interpretations of power percentage.
This page is a concise overview of the original video rather than a full transcript.
