Infra Red Laser LED Diode used in home DVD Recorder can cut plastic

Some modern consumer CD and DVD recorders writes discs at high speed using high power IR laser diodes - about 200mW or even 350mW operating in a continuous mode.

Such power is enough even to cut plastic, as shown on the video.

It demonstrates IR laser diode cutting small plastic parts. Normally our eyes can not see infrared radiation, but video camera has a greater range of sensitivity and the video shows a bright laser spot on the plastic parts.

Please be very carefull! While a ordinary laser pointer makes you blind because it "burns" yor retina (like sun) this high-power LED diode will scorch it away.