Pulse spacing for laser marking
Calculate pulse spacing, pulses per millimetre, scan overlap, hatch overlap, pulse energy and approximate peak power for pulsed laser marking.
Method
Pulse spacing = scan speed ÷ pulse frequency. Overlap = (1 − spacing ÷ focused spot diameter) × 100. Energy per pulse = average power ÷ frequency.
At 1,000 mm/s, 20 kHz and a 0.10 mm spot, pulses are 0.05 mm apart: 20 pulses/mm and 50% longitudinal overlap.
Use responsibly
This is geometric setup arithmetic, not a material recipe. Beam profile, focus, acceleration, pulse shape and the laser/material interaction are not modelled; prove settings on a test coupon.
The setup values are calculated only in your browser. No file contents or calculation inputs are sent to our analytics system.
Last reviewed: 11 August 2026
Calculation and copy checked for this release.
When pulse spacing is larger than the focused spot diameter, adjacent spots do not meet. The calculator labels that condition as a gap so a negative percentage is not mistaken for usable overlap.
Longitudinal overlap follows successive pulses along one scan line. Hatch overlap compares neighbouring scan lines. They use the same spot diameter but answer different setup questions.
The peak-power result rearranges the average-power relationship using a rectangular pulse approximation. Real temporal pulse shapes vary, so use the laser manufacturer’s pulse data when peak power matters.
No. Enter the focused spot diameter for the optical setup. Field size and focused spot diameter describe different things.
No. It describes geometry only. Material, wavelength, focus, pulse energy, beam profile and scan dynamics still control the result.
Practical guide
Calculate pulse spacing and geometric overlap from scan speed, frequency and spot size, then keep hatch spacing and pulse energy distinct.
