High-speed grooving method

A high-speed grooving method for cutting and machining fine grooves in the surface of a workpiece by moving a cutting tool relative to the workpiece, said method comprising:

• a dummy machining step of machining a dummy groove in the surface of the workpiece by moving the cutting tool relative to the workpiece in a first direction, then turning the cutting tool 180 degrees, and subsequently further machining the dummy groove by moving the cutting tool in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
• a step of measuring a displacement of the cutting edge of the cutting tool, caused by the inversion of the cutting tool, from the dummy groove formed in the surface of the workpiece;
• a forward-stroke machining step of machining a groove with the cutting tool in the surface of the workpiece by moving the cutting tool relative to the workpiece in the first direction;
• a cutting tool inversion step of turning the cutting tool 180 degrees after completion of the forward-stroke machining step, thereby setting the direction of the cutting edge of the cutting tool to a direction opposite to the first direction so that the workpiece can be machined during a return stroke of the cutting tool;
• a correction step of correcting the relative position between the workpiece and the cutting tool so as to eliminate the displacement;
• and
• a return-stroke machining step of further machining the groove, which has been machined in the forward-stroke machining step, with the cutting tool by moving the cutting tool relative to the workpiece in the direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the forward-stroke machining step, the cutting tool inversion step, the correction step and the return-stroke machining step are repeated to perform a machining process, including a rough machining step and a finish machining step, for machining a single groove.