Laser Speed Units Without the 60× Conversion Error

A laser speed value is unusable without its unit. The same number can mean millimeters per second or millimeters per minute, and confusing them changes the intended speed by a factor of 60.

Use:

1\ \text{mm/s}=60\ \text{mm/min}

So $20\ \text{mm/s}=1{,}200\ \text{mm/min}$ , while $20\ \text{mm/min}=0.333\ \text{mm/s}$ . Normalize the unit before changing power, focus, or material; otherwise a conversion mistake can look like a laser-performance problem and can create excessive heat or fire risk. LightBurn speed and power guidance

Find the Unit Printed Beside Speed

Copy the speed and its unit from the source chart, machine manual, software screen, or test record before entering anything into the target software.

A bare value such as “20” is incomplete evidence. It could mean:

20 mm/s.
20 mm/min.
20 in/min.
Another controller-specific convention.

Do not infer the unit from a familiar-looking number. Diode-laser workflows commonly use mm/min in some software configurations, while other laser types and recommendations may use mm/s. The device profile and source documentation control the correct interpretation.

Keep the original entry intact:

Source value	Converted value	Use
20 mm/s	1,200 mm/min	Enter if the target uses mm/min
1,200 mm/min	20 mm/s	Enter if the target uses mm/s
20 mm/min	0.333 mm/s	Enter if the target uses mm/s

The table illustrates conversion only; it is not a material setting or recommendation.

Use One Conversion and Keep the Original Value

Convert with one explicit relationship:

\text{mm/min}=\text{mm/s}\times60

\text{mm/s}=\frac{\text{mm/min}}{60}

Examples:

$5\ \text{mm/s}=300\ \text{mm/min}$ .
$10\ \text{mm/s}=600\ \text{mm/min}$ .
$1{,}800\ \text{mm/min}=30\ \text{mm/s}$ .

Keep the source value, source unit, converted value, target unit, and date together in the job record. This makes a decimal or transcription error visible to another operator.

Do not round aggressively when a small value is converted. Preserve enough precision for the target software, then verify that the resulting speed is within the exact machine’s documented operating range.

LightBurn says it automatically converts existing speed values when the selected speed units are changed, but you should still confirm the active device profile and displayed unit before releasing a job. LightBurn device dimensions and units

Check Whether the Controller Displays or Sends the Same Unit

Confirm whether the software field is displaying the unit used by the controller or merely presenting a preferred interface unit. The device profile, controller type, firmware, and generated commands matter.

Check:

Active device profile.
Control Units in the software.
Device or machine units.
G-code or controller documentation.
A short exported file, when the workflow supports it.
Whether the controller expects speed in mm/min or another unit.
Whether the software converts values before sending them.

LightBurn’s Device Settings documentation identifies Control Units as the units used for speed and distance when controlling the device. It also gives device-specific recommendations, such as mm/min for diode lasers in the documented interface, while noting that the active device type matters. LightBurn device dimensions and units

Do not assume that a label in a third-party chart matches the current software profile. If a source chart omits units, reject the setting until the author or machine documentation clarifies them.

Run a Low-Power Line Test Before Committing Material

After confirming the unit, test the motion and process on suitable scrap. Begin with a short line or simple pattern that can reveal a gross unit error without risking the finished workpiece.

Use the machine’s supported framing or preview first. If a physical mark is needed, use the exact low-power or test procedure documented for that machine and controller. Do not invent a universal low-power value.

Compare:

Estimated and actual job time.
Physical line length.
Line darkness or heat.
Edge condition.
Motion behavior.
Result against the identified scrap.

A speed entered as 20 mm/min instead of 20 mm/s is much slower than intended and can deliver excessive heat. A speed entered as 20 mm/s instead of 20 mm/min is much faster than intended and may produce a weak or missing mark. LightBurn explicitly warns that mixing speed units can reduce output unexpectedly or cause excessive power exposure and fire risk. LightBurn speed and power guidance

Do not compensate for a unit mistake by changing power. Correct the unit first, then rerun the test.

Record a Conversion That Another Operator Can Audit

Store these fields together:

Source value.
Source unit.
Converted value.
Target unit.
Conversion equation.
Machine and device profile.
Software version.
Material and process purpose.
Operator and date.
Test result.

For example:

Source: 20 mm/s
Conversion: $20\times60$
Target: 1,200 mm/min
Device profile: exact active profile
Test: approved scrap, result recorded

If the source chart omits units, do not infer them from a familiar number, a similar machine, or a result that “looks about right.”

The TwoTrees TS2 laser engraver is a product page to inspect after the machine and controller requirements are defined, but its listing does not prove a universal speed unit, material setting, software profile, or result for every configuration. Verify the exact model, controller, software, machine units, and current documentation before purchase or production.

Stop and consult the exact manufacturer, controller, or software documentation when the active unit is unclear, exported commands conflict with the display, a controller reports an unexpected range, or the test produces abnormal heat or motion.

The safe answer to “laser speed mm per minute vs mm per second” is simple: identify the unit, convert by 60, preserve both values, verify the controller convention, and test on scrap before applying power or material assumptions.