Book excerpt: CO2 Laser Cutting explains and describes how engineering materials are cut using a CO2 laser. Information is given on 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. In an effort to make the book as readable and informative as possible the subject is treated in a descriptive rather than a mathematical way. The benefit of CO2 Laser Cutting is twofold as it gives practical advice to the operator and technical advice to the researchers or scientist.