Lasers are being increasingly used world-wide to process an incredibly large variety of materials in many interesting ways. The arena of laser material processing includes cutting, welding, drilling, marking, surface modification, rapid prototyping /manufacturing, etc.- the list is ever-growing. Processing of the materials have immense potential in metallurgical and mechanical, automobile, chemical, nuclear and aerospace engineering industries, but unfortunately, as of today, there is a very limited activity in this field in the Indian industries. One of the reasons is the lack of proper awareness and adequate skilled manpower to use /adopt this new promising technology to its fullest capability.

Understanding the growing need to disseminate the recent knowledge and information about the industrial lasers and material processing, Indian Laser Association had organized the orientation course on High Power CO₂ Lasers and Laser Material Processing in collaboration with Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore during Jun.1-5, 1998. The course was attended by 36 representatives from different academic, R&D, defence institutions and public / private industrial sectors.

The course was comprised of lectures on Laser basics, different industrial lasers, laser power supplies, laser material interactions, laser beam shaping and delivery systems, laser cutting, welding, cladding, alloying, mechanical and metallurgical characterization of laser processed materials, safety aspects of laser usage and lab demonstration of industrial lasers and different laser material processing applications.

Dr. D.D. Bhawalkar, Director, CAT delivered a special talk on "Lasers in Meterology" covering measurements of distance, roughness, diameter and velocity temperature. Sri U. Nundy and Sri T.P.S. Nathan delivered lectures on Excimer lasers and Nd:YAG lasers respectively including their industrial applications. Effect of lasers on biological systems and safety aspects were discussed by Dr. P.K. Gupta. Remaining lectures were delivered by scientists / engineers of High Power CO₂ Laser Group CAT. The lecture notes were compiled in the form of proceedings and were made available at the commencement of the course.

Dr. D.D. Bhawalkar was the advisor and Dr. A K Nath was the coordinator for the course.

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