As　an　advanced　processing　technique,　femtosecond　laser　achieves　precision　machining　of　complex　three-dimensional　parts　from　micro/nano-　to　macro-field　on　any　material　due　to　its　special　properties　such　as　＇cold　processing＇,　nonlinear　multiphoton　effect,　and　far　beyond　the　optical　diffraction　limit,　etc.　Huge　market　prospect　is　shown　for　femtosecond　laser　application　in　fields　of　micro/nano-　precision　machinery,　micro/nano-electronics,　micro/nano-photonics,　surface　engineering　and　biomedicine,　etc.　Summary　on　research　progress　is　made　including　femtosecond　laser　ablation,　cutting,　drilling,　functional　surface　fabrication,　in-volume　and　polymeric　processing　by　femtosecond　laser　in　recently　three　years.　A　discussion　is　made　about　the　opportunities　and　challenges　in　femtosecond　laser　processing　from　the　aspects　of　laser　material　interaction　mechanism,　processing　precision,　processing　method,　and　processing　object,　etc.　©　2016　Journal　of　Mechanical　Engineering.