Nanosecond-Fiber Laser Cutting and Finishing Process for Manufacturing Polycrystalline Diamond-Cutting Tool Blanks

This paper presents a nanosecond-fiber-laser-based method for manufacturing polycrystalline-diamond (PCD) tool blanks. The effects of variations in the process path and operating parameters on the cut-surface morphology and surface-quality of the processed PCD workpieces have been analyzed. The results obtained in this study reveal the reactive fusion cutting mechanism to yield a processing depth of 155.2 µm at 30-W average laser power, 200-ns pulse width, and 30-kHz pulse frequency. The successful cutting of a 1.2-mm-thick PCD workpiece via implementation of the horizontal-shifting and vertical layer–by-layer processing methods is reported. Compared to the wire-electrical-discharge machining (WEDM), the proposed approach yields superior cut-surface roughness (Ra = 0.378 µm). Moreover, the laser processing was performed on a single-axis curved stage, on which the workpiece placed at an inclination during laser cutting and finishing. Thus, a PCD insert with an orthogonally cut edge, flat and pit-free finishing surface, and excellent tool-surface roughness (Ra = 0.202 µm) was obtained, thereby verifying the feasibility of the proposed approach. Furthermore, it is evident that the nanosecond-fiber laser can be used to not only cut and finish PCD inserts but also produce PCD workpieces oriented at different rake and clearance angles.