Adaptive guide bushing for laser tube cutting systems

A tube cutting laser system having a laser, an optical delivery fixture optically coupled to the laser, and a movable workpiece stage having proximal and distal ends thereof and movable relative to the optical delivery fixture, comprising:

• a. A proximal bushing holder positioned at the proximal end of the movable workpiece stage and a distal bushing holder positioned at the distal end of the movable workpiece stage, each of the proximal bushing holder and the distal bushing holder having a proximal end and a distal end thereof, wherein the distal end of of the proximal bushing holder and the distal end of the distal bushing holder further comprises a raised feature having a proximal end, a distal end, and a first bore traversing a thickness between the proximal end and the distal end of the raised feature;
• and
• b. a proximal guide bushing coupled to the raised feature of the proximal bushing holder and a distal guide bushing coupled to the raised feature of the distal bushing holder wherein each of the proximal guide bushing and the distal guide bushing is configured to coaxially allow a tubular workpiece to pass through the guide bushing and hold the tubular workpiece therein;
• and
• c. an annular elastic member having a central opening configured to allow the tubular workpiece to pass there through and diametrically expand and contract to engage an outer wall surface of tubular workpiece at an intermediate portion thereof, the annular elastic member being positioned between the proximal guide bushing and the distal guide bushing.