Abstract: In material machining by means of laser beams, in particular when engraving for example metal or when blackening and marking on plastic material, there is to be provided a process in which in spite of a high frequency of machining pulses the required minimum energy per pulse is achieved. For that purpose a plurality of laser beams are brought together by way of a beam-combining means and passed by way of a common beam-guide means on to the workpiece and in particular operated in time-displaced relationship.