CO2 Lasers are above all flexible tools which have been applied in many different ways to materials working. The lasers themselves range from simple DC excited devices which may be self-serviced by the typical small job shop to complex RF excited computer controlled devices with modern based diagnostics. The paper asks whether there is a “best” approach to designing a CO2 laser for materials working, or whether different applications and industries require very different approaches.
The new Electrox Metal Cutting laser is described as an example of Electrox’s approach to building CO2 lasers, which is to aim for high performance from the simplest possible devices. Simplicity is the key to both operation and servicing, so that the customer himself has a large measure of control in keeping the laser operational and does not feel that he is helplessly in the hands of the manufacturer. The author considers whether this approach is an appropriate one for the 1990’s or whether a more sophisticated black box approach is required.