Laser-transmitting tooling

A method comprising:

• providing a plurality of workpieces, wherein each workpiece of the plurality of workpieces includes a body defined by a material having a machinable surface defined by:
• (A) a compressive region having a compressive quality;
• and (B) a tensile region having a tensile quality, wherein:
• the compressive quality is stronger than the tensile quality of at least a first workpiece of the plurality of workpieces;
• and
• the tensile quality is stronger than the compressive quality of at least a second workpiece of the plurality of workpieces;
• selecting a workpiece from the plurality of workpieces, wherein the material of the selected workpiece is different from the material of one or more unselected workpieces of the plurality of workpieces;
• configuring a plurality of opto-mechanical tools, wherein each opto-mechanical tool of the plurality of opto-mechanical tools has a tool body configured for machining:
• (A) the compressive region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece having the compressive quality;
• and (B) the tensile region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece having the tensile quality, wherein the tool body of the configured opto-mechanical tool includes a light beam entrance end and a light beam exit end, wherein the light beam exit end includes:
• (A) a cutting edge;
• (B) a rake face extending toward the cutting edge at a rake angle that corresponds to the compressive quality of the compressive region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece;
• and (C) a flank face extending toward the cutting edge at a flank angle that corresponds to the tensile quality of the tensile region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece;
• selecting an opto-mechanical tool from the plurality of opto-mechanical tools, wherein the rake angle of the selected opto-mechanical tool is a midrange rake angle that is greater than about 136° and less than about 165° that is configured for machining the selected workpiece, wherein the selected workpiece is an inorganic compound selected from the group consisting of zinc selenide, zinc sulfide, calcium fluoride, barium fluoride, and tungsten carbide;
• connecting the selected opto-mechanical tool to a tool housing;
• arranging the rake face and the flank face adjacent the machinable surface of the selected workpiece for machining the machinable surface of the selected workpiece;
• imparting a compressive force to the compressive region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece;
• imparting a tensile force to the tensile region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece;
• and
• transmitting a light beam through the tool body of the selected opto-mechanical tool from the light beam entrance end of the selected opto-mechanical tool to the light beam exit end of the selected opto-mechanical tool;
• refracting the light beam into the machinable surface of the selected workpiece;
• and
• directing the light beam out of the light beam exit end at:
• the rake face of the selected opto-mechanical tool and into the machinable surface of the selected workpiece along the compressive region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece;
• and
• the flank face of the selected opto-mechanical tool and into the machinable surface of the selected workpiece along the tensile region of the machinable surface of the selected workpiece,
• wherein the step of directing the light beam further includes:
• selectively adjusting one or more of light beam biasing knobs of a plurality of light beam biasing knobs that are connected to the tool housing for biasing the light beam with a selective bias including one of:
• a rake bias of the light beam for
• selectively biasing the light beam toward the rake face;
• and
• a flank bias of the light beam for
• selectively biasing the light beam toward the flank face.