Metal Fabricating Glossary

beam quality

 noun

Definitions

1. In lasers, the ratio between the actual focal point diameter and a theoretically perfect focal point diameter, usually expressed as a unitless value, M2, with the best value being 1.00; real-world values range from about 1.1 to 1.5.

If you have any comments or questions about the glossary, please contact Dan Davis, editor-in-chief of The Fabricator.