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andyaus wrote:

cathode ray?

Getting closer

anode ray?

First thing I thought (besides flux capacitor) was a laser... another kind of ray.

Edou hit it on the head.
It's a Fast Axial Flow, DC-excited CO2 laser with a power output of approx 800W at 10.6 microns wavelength (I was also working on a 1200W unit). Used for laser engraving of rollers for printing (in this case) wallpaper. The engraving machine looks like a large lathe with the focussed laser beam as the cutting "tool".

Awesome bit of tech!