Abstract
This paper deals with a development of cutting method for plastics using diode lasers. Laser cutting is based on the removal of molten material due to heat generation by laser irradiation. However, most thermoplastics tend to be transparent to diode lasers; it is difficult to cut the truly transparent material. In this study, we have investigated the possibility of diode-laser cutting of the transparent plastics using a thin coat which is added a particle of pigment absorbing near-infrared (NIR) radiation but transparent at invisible wavelength on the surface of workpiece. The influence of absorbance of the NIR-absorbing coat and the condition of laser radiation on the cutting ability have been studied
