Is an inefficient drilling process holding you back? Whether you’re operating in the energy industry or in the commercial construction sector, discover how you can improve the quality of your drill. Promote efficient operations and reduced tool wear with these key steps and highly rated drill components.
Maintaining Your Drill
Using a dull drill bit or one not designed for your application can result in excessive wear. Maintain your drill press, CNC machine or other machine with preventative maintenance and inspections. The most common signs of a damaged drill are increased workpiece errors, irregular sounds or slowed performance. Schedule a machine tool repair service promptly to improve the quality of the process.
A resharpening service can help maintain your machine tool. Worn cutting edges increase resistance and heat during the current process. In many cases, resharpening is more affordable than replacing a solid tool.
Choosing the Right Drill Bits
Improper cutting edges can also decrease the quality of your drilling process. Review indexable bits, bit nozzles, substrates and other drill bit components to see if you need a replacement component.
Replacing cutting edges or other components may be necessary even if your current components aren’t worn out. For example, you may need to swap to a through-the-tool cutting fluid design or a tri-cone bit for improved chip control.
One major step in choosing the right drill bit is reviewing your workpiece material. Don’t try to use the same bit for a wood component as you do for a metal one. Failure to use specialized bits can cause excessive wear and reduced finish quality in your materials.
Optimizing Feed and Speed
Discuss bit replacement options with a reputable tooling provider before turning to the operational steps of your drilling process. You may be using an inappropriate tool speed or material feed. Both the feed and speed of your process can affect the following features:
- Cutting accuracy
- Operating temperature
- Tool lifespan
- Risk of material warping or cracking
- Speed of the process
Use a drill speed calculator to explore ways to optimize the process. These calculators are designed for the initial planning phase. Estimated values should be replaced with real data in your facility to create accurate measurements.
Maximizing Drill Locations
Make the most of every point of contact by maximizing the location of each drill press. Every moment the tool touches the workpiece results in tool wear, so you should carefully consider the best place to drill and the best diameter of bit to achieve your goals.
In some cases, an inefficient drill location can result in costly issues. Drilling too close to the edge or too deep into a workpiece can result in a compromised structure. Use a surface finish formula and other calculations to determine the best way to move forward.
Choosing the Right Partner
Create a long-lasting partnership with a quality tooling service provider. Find out how Kennametal can equip you with the right drill bits and resharpening services to power your machine tools and help you improve your industrial efficiency.
