Carbide drills are often extolled as superior to high-speed steel (HSS) because they can potentially withstand higher temperatures and higher cutting speeds, making them more efficient and longer lasting than alternatives.
That being said, like any machine tool, proper use, care and maintenance will extend the lifespans of your carbide drills. Here are some tips on that front.
- Optimize cutting speeds and feed rates. Run your carbide drills at speeds that are appropriate, given the tool size, the number of flutes, the workpiece material, and how deeply you will be cutting. In addition to tool speed, you should also observe a feed rate that is not too aggressive. For instance, running a tool at 50% lower speeds can significantly extend tool life, in some cases by up to 10 times. Running the tool too quickly (or slowly) or feeding too aggressively can result in deflection that causes chatter, which is a dangerous vibration of the cutting tool that will incur premature wear and can even cause the drill to snap or shatter in extreme cases.
- Manage heat, where applicable, with coolant. Thermal stress is one of the main drivers of wear on machine tools. Many carbide drills are treated with advanced coatings that confer permanent dry lubricity, which keeps friction down and minimizes thermal stress (while sometimes even facilitating chip evacuation). Still, some cutting applications warrant the use of coolant to help prevent thermal stress from causing premature tool wear or breakage.
- Select the right tool coating based on the workpiece material and application. Some tool coatings improve lubricity (reducing friction), enhance chip evacuation, reduce oxidative stress, and more. Select your carbide drills given the application and tool coating to ensure optimal performance and minimal stress.
- Be mindful of chip evacuation. Improper chip evacuation can require rework, which is time consuming, but it can also result in chip packing, which increases cutting force, incurring extreme stresses on the cutting tool. Optimized cutting parameters, selection of the right tool, running the tool at the proper depth, selection of the proper tool coating and adequate administration of coolant or lubricant can help reduce these risks, extending cutting tool life.
- Utilize the right tool path. The selected tool path will in part determine tool engagement and cutting performance, but it can also influence chip formation and evacuation as well as thermal stress. Using the right tool path given the circumstances, inclusive of cutting speed, feed rate, workpiece material and given application can reduce stresses on the cutting tool and extend its life.
Here for New Carbide Drills? Check Out TMT Toolbox
If you’ve lost tools in the past due to breakage, or have experienced accelerated tool wear that requires frequent replacement and are still learning the ins and outs of machining, bookmark TMT Toolbox. They carry a wide range of machine tools and accessories, including carbide drills, end mills, and a wide variety of other metal cutting tools.
Check out their website and get in touch with them if you have any questions about what they sell before you buy.
For more information about Grinding Abrasives and Metal Cutting Tools Please visit: TMT Toolbox.
