LASER PROCESS MONITORING

A method and a device for monitoring laser cutting processes in the high-power range above 1 kW mean output envisage automatic quality control after interruption and/or completion of a cutting process carried out with predetermined cutting parameters. According to the disclosure the cutting process is interrupted after a first partial processing step, whereupon a partial section (K1 . . . . KX) of the processing path is scanned. This preferably takes place at a higher speed than that for the first partial processing procedure and preferably close to or on the same processing path. On the basis of the scan result at least one quality feature of the processing result is automatically determined and compared with predefined quality specifications. Depending on the result of the comparison a fault message can then be issued, the processing interrupted, reworking of a defect point carried out, at least one cutting parameter adjusted, and the cutting process continued with the changed set of cutting parameters.