From waste to worth: extending tool life through pulse laser ablation

Abstract

Cutting tool inserts are a vital part of machining but are readily discarded and underutilised in industry when considered worn. Increasing tool utilisation using repair can extend tool life and decrease the energy and resources associated with the production of new tools. This study introduces a novel laser-based remanufacturing and reconditioning (LRaR) process using pulsed-laser ablation (PLA) to restore WC–Co worn inserts for extended reuse using a 1060-nm fibre laser. Three distinct pulsed laser ablation (PLA) strategies—PLA roughing (PLAR), PLA milling (PLAM), and PLA grinding (PLAG)—were developed and optimised for different wear severities by tailoring key process parameters such as fluence, pulse frequency, scan speed, and overlap. PLAG mimics conventional grinding by employing high overlap and low scan speed. PLAM achieves controlled ablation and stable surface finish, ideal for remanufacturing. PLAR focuses on highly damaged tools using a high-scan-speed, low-overlap strategy that enables rapid material removal. The repaired tools were benchmarked against new inserts during dry turning of EN3B steel. The results were characterised using cutting forces, tool-chip interaction, and wear progression from prolonged turning results. A comparison of these metrics determined how the cut performance changed based on the LRaR strategy applied and increased utilisation. Results demonstrate that PLAG and PLAM not only reproduced the functional performance of benchmark inserts but also achieved comparable cutting forces, surface finish (Ra < 1.6 µm), and stable chip morphology. Wear resistance was quantified by calculating the tool Life extension or the relative extension in cutting distance achieved after tool repair, prior to reaching the VBmax threshold. PLAG outperformed PLAM and PLAR and extended tool Life by up to 117.7%. PLAR proved valuable for restoring severely worn tools in roughing applications. The proposed laser strategies eliminate the micro-cracking associated with mechanical grinding and present a scalable, non-contact alternative for tool restoration. By enabling multiple tool life cycles without compromising performance, the LRaR methodology provides a sustainable pathway toward circular manufacturing. This work is the first to establish a comprehensive, performance-validated laser repair workflow for WC–Co inserts, positioning laser remanufacturing as a viable industrial solution to reduce raw material dependency and environmental impact in advanced machining operations.