Patent ID: 8053705

Claim:
A turning process utilizing multiple distributed lasers to assist a cutting tool in machining a rotating workpiece, comprising: cutting material from the rotating workpiece with the cutting tool, thereby creating a circumferential chamfer on the rotating workpiece; providing a first laser unit with independent operational control; providing a second laser unit with independent operational control; sequentially, incrementally heating a small radially outer portion of the rotating workpiece with said first and second laser units prior to the cutting tool beginning to remove the small portion, the small portion including part of the chamfer surface, said sequential, incremental heating including preheating the small portion by directing the first laser beam onto its radially outermost surface when its circumferential position about the rotational axis of the rotating workpiece is substantially ahead of that of the cutting tool, and then further heating the small portion by directing the second laser beam onto its chamfer surface at a high angle thereto when its circumferential position is in close proximity to that of the cutting tool; and controlling temperature gradients within the workpiece with said independent operational controls of said first and second laser units.