Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!rodan!amichiel
From: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: LASER info needed
Message-ID: <2232@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Date: 26 Feb 90 23:06:46 GMT
References: <44900003@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>
Reply-To: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen)
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Lines: 25


Two of us were discussing the following.
1. You have a high power laser cutting machine.  It is used for cutting
    up to 1/2" thick plates of metals (steel, alum,...) into rough cut
    parts for machining.  Some may even be finished products, but are rather
    course  (it doesn't matter).
2. The cutter is reported to be a 24 hr a day automated continuous production
    machine.  It cuts at about a rate of 4 inches per minute for 1/2" plate
    stainless steel.
3. How would & what is the best way/method of containing the laser beam, after
   it penatrates the material, OR if the beam is running & there isn't any 
   material to penatrate.

Several other semi-informed people claimed that anything could be used, even
steel or alum or wood, just so long as it was painted with paint that had
pigmented (colored) of the same frequency as the laser beam.
I seem to recall that this is commonly done with SMALL lasers, but I somehow
doubt that this could possibly dissipate the amount of energy required to
terminate a laser of this size.
  Does anyone have any experience or opinions ?

Inquiring minds want to know.
(p.s. Did anyone buy/read the article about a WW2 bomber located,
hidden on the moon.).
al