AFL’s LZM-100 LAZERMaster is a glass processing and splicing system that uses a CO2 laser heat source rather than electrodes, ensuring repeatable performance and low maintenance, and eliminating electrode or filament maintenance and instability. Splicing or adiabatic tapering (to create mode field adapters or pump combiners) can be performed with glass diameters of 2.3 mm or more. The high resolution optical analysis system works in conjunction with on-board firmware for fully automatic splicing, tapering and other glass shaping processes.