Extending Tool Lifespan and Cost Reduction Through Coolant Drilling
Coolant drilling works by directing coolant through the tool to reduce the temperature at the cutting point while improving lubricity. These two factors improve the conditions for both the tool and drilling surface resulting in reduced costs per hole, savings in tool maintenance and overall improved results.
When production drilling, the use of coolant can provide many benefits that save both time and money during production.
Extended Tool Life
By reducing the temperature of both the drill and the drilling service and increasing lubricity, the tool is subject to decreased wear and tear, which extends the life of the tool.
Cost Reduction
The coolant also allows for high penetration rates by offering an increase in feeds and speeds while reducing the pecking cycle, allowing for decreased drilling times which results in a lowered cost per hole.
The cost per hole is further decreased by the fact that finishes are improved. Coolant drilling creates a smoother, rounder hole and smoother finishes by the coolant washing away the cut chips and debris from the drill face and the drilling surface that would otherwise cause markings and damage to the workpiece. This means there is a decreased need for finishing operations, such as reaming, buffing or boring.
Coolant Applications
Coolant pressure and volume are important for achieving the benefits available through coolant drilling. Different jobs have different coolant needs; as drill diameter increases the required coolant pressure decreases and more volume is needed. When drill diameter decreases, the volume of coolant decreases while the pressure required increases. Advantage Machining offers clients improved performance drilling with coolant delivered at 1000psi. If coolant drilling is done with inadequate pressure and volume, this can lead to tool failure and disappointing end results, as high pressure is required for high stock removal rates and longer tool life.
Advantage Machining, uses coolant through solid carbide drills to produce a better quality, more reliably-located hole. By using these drills we save on cycle time which ultimately means a savings is passed on, all while providing a better quality product, to the final user.