Laser turning with ultrashort pulses is a promising approach for machining cylindrical components made of ultrahard and difficult to process materials, where non-contact processing, flexible beam control, and high geometrical precision are required. In this work, a synchronized laser turning method is developed in which workpiece rotation is coordinated with galvanometer scanning to enable precise layer-by-layer processing of cylindrical parts relevant to tool manufacturing and related high-performance applications.

The study focuses on the development of processing strategies for controlled material removal and surface finishing by combining radial and tangential scanning approaches. Particular attention is given to maintaining the required pulse overlap during turning as the workpiece radius decreases. For this purpose, the rotation speed is adjusted according to the changing radius in order to preserve the overlap conditions during successive layers. In addition, the material removal rate can be controlled by changing the laser processing parameters and MHz burst number, providing a practical way to balance ablation efficiency, process stability, and surface quality.

White-light interferometry is introduced as a surface characterization method for evaluating the processed shape and topography after turning or texturing. In the present work, this metrology is considered primarily as an analysis tool and as a basis for future process correction development. The presented framework supports further investigation of efficient laser turning and polishing strategies for cylindrical ultrahard-material parts used in advanced tool manufacturing.