(See .svg file attached).  I have created a template (a "double Y" shown three times) that I want to replicate multiple times so I can cut out the pattern using my laser. I need to somehow combine the overlapping paths so that the laser only cuts out the hole regions and not make undesired cuts in the material.  (I know how to manually manipulate the paths to join nodes, etc. but wish to automate the process).
Thanks

Path->Union should do.

Thanks for responding, but Union does not do it (I thought it would, too). It seems the shape regions are too complex to eliminate paths that cross one another.

I seem to have better luck first doing an exclude to remove the triangle shapes, then unions ...

Multiple Boolean operations can be achieved with this extension: https://inkscape.org/~Moini/★multiple-boolean-operations-with-inx-pathops

Here's an alternative workflow.

Turn on [Enable snapping > Nodes > Cusp nodes]. Draw a square and rotate it 45 degrees. Duplicate it and create a row of tilted squares. Duplicate the row and move it down. Draw the hexagon between the four leftmost squares. Duplicate this along the entire row. Set the line width and set the line join to bevel.

Select all. Set fill to none. [Path > Stroke to Path] [Path > Union]. Finally set a modest stroke width and set the line join to miter.

Thank you "Polygon" and "Paddy_CAD", most kind of you both. You deserve to know, this happens to be a piece of trim on a very old (100-200 years) Pennington mantel clock.  I'm trying to see if I can produce replacement pieces for my friend.  They will look a bit too perfect however, when I cut them out with a laser. Nevertheless it's a great exercise for me to hone my inkscape skills.

Also I now see a pattern of overlapping LARGE hexagons, which may be simpler ultimately....