###### Abstract  
In addition to traditional chip methods, performance lasers are often used in the field of wood processing. When cutting wood with CO\({}_{2}\) lasers, it is primarily the area of optimization of parameters that is important, which include mainly laser performance and cutting speed. They have a significant impact on the production efficiency and cut quality. The article deals with the use of an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict spruce wood cut characteristics using CO\({}_{2}\) lasers under several conditions. The mutual impact of the laser performance (\(P\)) and the number of annual circles (AR) for prediction of the characteristics of the cutting kerr and the heat affected zone (HAZ) were examined. For this purpose, the artificial neural network in Statistica 12 software was used. The predicted parameters can be used to qualitatively characterize the cutting kerr properties of the spruce wood cut by CO\({}_{2}\) lasers. All the predictions are in good agreement with the results from the available literary sources. The laser power \(P=200\) W provides a good cutting quality in terms of cutting kerr widths ratio defined as the ratio of cutting kerr width at the lower board to the cutting kerr width at upper board and, therefore, they are optimal for cutting spruce wood at 1.2\(\cdot\)10\({}^{-2}\) m\(\cdot\)s\({}^{-1}\). CO\({}_{2}\) laser; artificial neural networks; wood kerr; spruce wood; heat affected zone +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
Acticle  
Prediction of the Effect of CO\({}_{2}\) Laser Cutting Conditions on Spruce Wood Cut Characteristics Using an Artificial Neural Network  
Acticle  
Prediction of the Effect of CO\({}_{2}\) Laser Cutting Conditions on Spruce Wood Cut Characteristics Using an Artificial Neural Network  
the effect of CO\({}_{2}\) laser parameters on the width of the heat affected zone in wood-based materials and wood composites. [9]. Th effect of laser parameters on the cut properties of wood-based composite materials such as MDF were studied in [10]. The authors studied MDF cutting by a CO\({}_{2}\) laser for \(P\) = 520-530 W in the pulse and continuous mode. They found out that narrow kerr widths can be achieved for the pulse mode. [PERSON] et al. [11] defined methodology for evaluation of radiation beam efficiency and quality based on the values of parameter WKR defined as the ratio of cutting kerr width at the lower board WKL vs. the cutting kerr width at the upper board WKU (WKR = WKL/WKU) which is mainly affected by \(P\), \(v\) and position of the focal point. They also find out that roughness increases with cutting speed and air pressure and decreases with \(P\) and focal point position. In other work [PERSON] et al. [12] studied the effect of laser parameters on the final cut of plywood materials. Many authors have also studied the effect of focal point position on the final cut properties. For wood-based materials the results are listed in [13] and for wood composites they are listed in [14; 15]. The effect of moisture content on the cutting of pine wood by CO\({}_{2}\) lasers was studied in [16]. The effect of assistance gas on the laser cutting of wood-based materials was studied in [17] and the effect of processing parameters and the parameters of gas on the cutting of micro thin wood was studied in [18]. Values of cut parameters are often processed by \(K\)--means clustering algorithm from the measured picture of the surface by several types of microscopies which is described in [19]. CO\({}_{2}\) lasers together with UV lasers, VIS and NIR lasers offer similar results in cutting. All these lasers offer better results than other techniques. Several authors use UV, VIS and NIR lasers for wood cutting. The next part deals with the effect of such laser's parameters on the machining of wood and wood composites. Authors in the work [20] have studied the effect of wavelength and pulse width on the cut of Japanese larch, cedar and beech wood using UV laser.