DRILLING METHOD BY USING LASER BEAM

PURPOSE:To prolong the life of a tool by making a hole with a drill as a material to be worked is irradiated with laser beam from the tip part of the drill through a hole which is opened in the tip center of the drill and penetrated along the central axis in the lengthwise direction of the drill. CONSTITUTION:The laser beam 2 emitted from a laser oscillator 1 enters the hole 5 installed by an optical mirror 3 in the drill 4 of a machine tool. The hole 5 is penetrated from the center of the tip of the drill 4 along the central axis in the lengthwise direction and the laser beam 2 passes through the hole 5 and irradiates the material 6 to be worked. A part of the material 6 to be worked being a range of irradiation of the laser beam 2 is heated and melted. This melted part is the central part of the hole made by the drill 4 and the position containing this melted part is worked by the drill 4. The force to work this melted part with the drill 4 is very small. Thus, the tool wear is reduced and the tool life can be prolonged greatly in this part.