1. The Basic Principles -- 1.1 The Cutting Process -- 1.2 How Materials Respond to Laser Light -- 1.3 How CO2 Lasers Work -- 1.4 Laser Modes -- 2. Laser Cutting Steels -- 2.1 Mild steels -- 2.2 Alloy Steels -- 3. Cutting Non-ferrous Metals -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Titanium Alloys -- 3.3 Aluminium Alloys -- 3.4 Nickel Alloys -- 3.5 Copper Alloys -- 3.6 General Comments -- 4. Cutting Non-metals -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Polymers -- 4.3 Wood Based Products -- 4.4 Ceramics and Glasses -- 4.5 Composites and Miscellaneous Materials -- 5. Setting Up for Cutting -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Beam Alignment -- 5.3 Finding the Focus Position -- 5.4 Nozzles and Nozzle Alignment -- 5.5 Jigging -- 5.6 Tuning the Laser -- 6. Troubleshooting -- 6.1 Introduction and Checklist -- 6.2 Notes on Checklist -- 7. Safety Guidelines -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Beam Exposure -- 7.3 Fumes -- 7.4 Electrocution -- 7.5 Fires -- 8. Alternative Cutting Methods -- 8.1 Nd:YAG Laser Cutting -- 8.2 Plasma Arc Cutting -- 8.3 Abrasive Water Jet Cutting -- 8.4 Oxygen-Flame Cutting -- 8.5 A Summary of the Strengths and Weaknesses of Each Process Compared with CO2 Laser Cutting -- 9. The Physics and Design of CO2 Lasers -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 The Physics of CO2 Lasers -- 9.3 Aspects of the Design of CO2 Lasers -- 10. Some Aspects of the Physics and Chemistry of Laser Cutting -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 The Energy Balance in the Cut Zone and Its Relationship to the Efficiency of the Process -- 10.3 The Role of Oxidation when Cutting Steels -- 10.4 Conductive Losses Experienced when Cutting Steels -- 10.5 Notes on Reflected, Transmitted, Radiated and Convective Losses from the Cut Zone -- 10.6 Notes on the Focusing Characteristics of CO2 Lasers -- 11. Bibliography and Further Reading -- 11.1 Conference Proceedings and Journals -- 11.2 Books -- 11.3 Specific Papers -- 11.4 Miscellaneous References.