This second edition examines and updates the subject of CO2 laser cutting. As with the original, mathematical treatments are kept to a minimum to make it accessible. The discussion covers the cutting of metals and non-metals on a wide range of levels, from practical advice and processing parameters to explanations of the physical and chemical reactions which take place in the cut zone. Materials covered include steels, wood, ceramics, polymers and non-ferrous alloys, and the information is taken from a range of experimental and commercial results. The cutting process is dealt with in two ways: practically, for the hands-on operator; and technically, for the researcher or scientist.