xTool F2 Ultra UV Anodized Aluminum Settings: Business Cards & More (2026)

Last updated: November 3, 2026

Anodized metal business cards are one of the easiest metal jobs for a UV laser. (AI-generated illustration, generic machine.)

Quick answer: the best starting settings

For black anodized business cards, a good starting point is 95% power, 2000 mm/s, 300 lines/cm, 1 pass, 40 kHz. Run a test on a spare card and adjust.

For blue or pink cards, try 100% power at 1500–1800 mm/s with the same 300 lines/cm and 40 kHz.

A much lower-energy row to compare is 35% power, 400 mm/s, 1 pass. Test both. Use a jig, and test one spare card before a batch.

xTool F2 Ultra UV anodized aluminum settings chart

"Not shown" means the public settings page lists the speed but not the power. Don't guess a power for those rows.

Bare (raw) aluminum

Tip: Keep each row's numbers together. Mixing power from one row with speed from another is a new combination. Run a test grid before you use it.

Why the numbers disagree

• Coating thickness varies. Cheap cards may have a thinner or softer anodized layer than premium ones.
• Colors absorb differently. Very light colors sometimes need a touch more power. Most colors can share one row.
• Line density changes energy. The 300 lines/cm card rows run very fast. The 35% / 400 mm/s row doesn't state a density, so don't mix them.

Metal marking on this machine is quite fast, though a fiber laser is still the usual production tool for anodized aluminum.

Why anodized aluminum engraves so well

Anodizing grows a hard oxide layer on aluminum, then dyes it. The UV beam removes that thin dyed layer and reveals the bare metal, so the mark comes out silver-white against the color.

Because the job is just clearing a thin layer, it runs fast. The black card recipe moves at 2000 mm/s.

What the settings mean

• Power (%): laser output.
• Speed (mm/s): faster speeds put less energy into each spot. Card recipes run very fast.
• Lines per cm: line density. 300 lines/cm is common for card fills. 100 lines/cm equals 254 DPI.
• Frequency (kHz): pulse rate, 40–150 kHz on the F2 Ultra UV. Every row in the chart that states a frequency uses 40 kHz.

The UV laser removes the dyed layer, so every color shows the same bright silver mark. (AI-generated example.)

Step-by-step: engraving anodized business cards

1. Prep

• Wipe off fingerprints.
• Use a metal business card jig so every card sits in the same place.

2. Focus

• Autofocus, or overlap the red and blue spots on the card surface.
• Cards are thin, so make sure they lie flat in the jig.

3. Start from a row

• Pick your card color in the chart. Start at 300 lines/cm and 40 kHz.

4. Test on a spare card

• Engrave a small square or a single line of text.
• You want an even, bright silver mark with crisp edges.
• If the mark is patchy, slow down slightly or add a touch of power. If it looks rough, speed up.

5. Engrave and batch

• Use batch or array tools in xTool Studio to fill a multi-card jig.
• Save the setting as a custom material per card supplier and color.

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Can the xTool F2 Ultra UV engrave anodized aluminum?

Yes. It removes the colored anodized layer and shows the bright bare metal underneath, which gives a silver-white mark.

What are good settings for black anodized business cards?

A good starting point is 95% power, 2000 mm/s, 300 lines/cm, 1 pass, 40 kHz, in a business card jig. Run a test on a spare card and adjust.

Do different anodized colors need different settings?

Mostly no, but very light colors sometimes need a little more power. Blue is listed at 100% and 1500 mm/s, and pink at 100% and 1800 mm/s.

Is there a simpler starting point?

A lower-energy row is 35% power, 400 mm/s, 1 pass. It is much lighter than the 95% / 2000 mm/s card row, so test both.

Can it engrave bare (raw) aluminum?

Yes. Raw 6061 aluminum marked clearly with the stainless steel preset. A 45 × 45 mm logo took about 30 seconds. There is no raw-aluminum preset in the library.

Is UV or fiber better for anodized aluminum?

A fiber laser is the usual production tool. The F2 Ultra UV still marks anodized aluminum, and it is quite fast.

Does anodized aluminum smell or smoke?

Very little. Still run the fan and wear UV-rated glasses.

Related guides

• xTool F2 Ultra UV stainless steel settings
• Best self-centering jigs for the F2 Ultra UV
• Best UV laser blanks to buy and sell
• UV laser project ideas
• Desktop UV laser buying guide

Final thoughts

Start black cards at 95% power, 2000 mm/s, 300 lines/cm and 40 kHz, and blue or pink at 100% and 1500–1800 mm/s. Test a spare card from every new supplier, use a jig, and save one setting per color.

Sources and further watching

1. xTool Support, Processing Parameters for F2 Ultra UV
2. xTool Support, Processing Parameter Settings for F2 Ultra UV
3. L3D Accessories, F2 Ultra UV aluminium settings
4. L3D Accessories, F2 Ultra UV laser settings hub
5. Maker Foundry, Anodized Metal Business Cards for xTool F2 UV
6. Bonny Creations, Anodized Aluminum on the F2 Ultra UV
7. Bonny Creations, F2 Ultra UV settings hub
8. Atomm, Black aluminium business card UV test
9. Six Eight Woodworks, F2 Ultra UV Complete Review
10. Aurora Tech, F2 Ultra UV In-Depth Review

Metal and anodized aluminum on the F2 Ultra UV. (Video: Six Eight Woodworks on YouTube.)

Raw 6061 aluminum marked with the stainless preset. (Video: Aurora Tech on YouTube.)