Sandvik
Coromant has launched two new microdrill families specifically designed for
precision machining. The CoroDrill 462 with -XM geometry and the CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry support
industries with high demand for small part manufacturing, including medical,
automotive, electronics and aerospace. Designed to cover a variety of workpiece
materials, the new drills offer precise performance where accuracy is key.
Devices
across several industries are shrinking in size. This can be seen most clearly
in electronics, with modern devices offering ever greater capability in smaller
packages. Elsewhere, in medical device manufacturing, the rising trend of
minimally invasive surgery — using techniques that minimize the size of the
incisions a surgeon makes — requires increasingly intricate tools. As the size
of technology scales down and its level of sophistication scales up,
manufacturers demand tools that can produce smaller, more complicated parts.
https://www.sandvik.coromant.com/
Drilling specialists generally use the term micro drilling when describing holes smaller than three millimeters (mm) in diameter. This can refer to holes often encountered in the electronics industry, where workpieces are just a few hundredths of a millimeter thick, but more common applications include the aerospace industry, mold and die making and medical equipment manufacturing.
The
CoroDrill 462 and 862 are the next generation of micro drills from Sandvik Coromant. Available in new geometries
to offer a wide variety of cutting diameters and lengths, the drills boast an
increased product range compared to previous assortments.
The
drills have been specially adapted to overcome the challenges of micro
drilling. For instance, much like macroscale applications, it’s critical to
have quality coolant to effectively evacuate chips when performing deep-hole
drilling with micro tools. Both the CoroDrill 462 and 862 can easily drill hole
depths of up to nine times diameter (xD) when using external coolant, and a
through-coolant option is also available for drilling diameters of 1.00 mm and
above, and hole depths of up to 16xD. Not only does the effective use of
coolant help the tools to drill deeper holes; it also extends the tool life and
reduces the risk of chip jamming.
Individually,
the CoroDrill 462 offers high performance hole making up to 3.00 mm. Ideal for
drilling both blind and through holes, the drill is capable of machining a
variety of ISO materials, including ISO P, M, K, N, S, O and H. With a drill
depth of 6xD, the CoroDrill 462 offers manufacturers a versatile drilling
solution.
The
CoroDrill 862 is ideal for making holes from 1.00 mm to 3.00 mm in diameter in
all materials, when used with internal coolant. In addition to conventional
drilling, the CoroDrill 862 supports a variety of other drilling activities,
including cross holes, stack drilling and drilling of convex and concave
surfaces.
The
CoroDrill 462 and 862 are available as both off-the-shelf and customizable
solid carbide tools. As part of the range, Sandvik Coromant has made it
possible to configure the tools based on diameters, usable length,
step-diameter length, and shank diameter, for manufacturers who require a
bespoke approach to micro drilling.
Customers
also have the option of purchasing the CoroDrill 862 with a polycrystalline
diamond (PCD) vein cutting edge. PCD is up to 100 times more wear-resistant
than solid carbide. In addition, PCD tooling is more accurate and can produce
tighter tolerances than solid carbide tools. Therefore, customers seeking to
drill micro-sized holes in notoriously difficult-to-machine materials, such as
titanium, aluminum, glass, and ceramics, should consider PCD.
“The
CoroDrill 462 and 862 mark a new era for micro drilling,” says James Thorpe, global
product manager at Sandvik Coromant. “We’ve made significant upgrades since the
launch of our last micro drills, with the aim of delivering more options to our
customers.
“In
today’s manufacturing landscape, whether you’re producing luxury watches or
aerospace parts, the demand for intricacy is greater than ever. As products get
smaller and with more complex components, we recognize that we too need to
adapt and make our drills capable of machining smaller holes. The applications
that demand micro drilling are extremely varied, which is why we’re offering
more customizable options in addition to a wider variety of standard tools.”
The
CoroDrill 462 and CoroDrill 862 will replace Sandvik
Coromant’s existing R840 and current 862 micro drill assortments.