Re: CO2 Lasers for CNC Machines

Copper is a near perfect reflector of IR at the wavelength that CO2 lasers
use, so very little energy would be absorbed by the copper, and no cutting
would occur. Also, if the surface was not perfectly flat, you could have a
cutting beam swing wildly around the shop area (reflected off the
workpiece), not a good thing. Most CO2 lasers use copper mirrors to form
the optical cavity.

Dean

----- Original Message -----
From: <PTENGIN@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@onelist.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 07, 1999 10:32 PM
Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] CO2 Lasers for CNC Machines
<snip>

> Copper is one metal they will not cut.
> Apparently, the machine has polished copper mirrors. They have choosen a
> wavelength that will not affect the mirrors. Thus it won't cut copper
either?
> This I don't know the underlying reasons. Hope this helps.
>
> Peter