THREE-DIMENSIONAL SURFACE SHAPING OF ROTARY CUTTING TOOL EDGES WITH LASERS

摘要

A method for forming the cutting edge (20, 22) and adjacent contoured surface (S) area of rotary cutting tools (10) utilizing a laser (50) to remove material from the cutting end (18) of the tool (10) to create a predetermined point-by-point geometry is disclosed. Relatively complex surface and edge geometries may be formed by directing a laser beam (L) toward the cutting end (18) of the tool (10) at an angle (?) having a component (CN) that is normal to the surface (S) of the cutting end (18). The laser beam (L) is directed in multiple passes across the surface (S) of the cutting end (18) to remove material and form the desired cutting edge (20, 22) and adjacent three-dimensional contoured surface geometry (S).