Everyone wants a good deal when it comes to finding high-end cutting tool suppliers. This is a truism that can be applied to any other market or industry under the sun. However, whenever we find a bargain that is too good to be true, it usually is, especially when it comes to carbide drill manufacturers.
Of course, this is not a life-or-death kind of deal if your shop cuts plastic parts that belong to a run-off-the-mill hardware store. Most cheap tools will work just fine and provide you ample profit margins unless they break every two minutes, that is.
But I think most of us care enough about maximizing efficiency and making sure we run a reliable and consistent operation from billet to finished part. This usually means increased spending on cutting tools. But if you find the right carbide drill manufacturer, it can also mean a significantly higher return on investment.
To put things in perspective, we must understand that cutting tool expenses only represents a small part of the final cost of a perfectly machined part. So, saving upfront is not always a good idea as working with low-cost drills or end mills usually translates to more time spent on a piece.
As an example, a 100-piece production order at a $100 burden rate, might result in more than $300 in savings in terms of inventory and labor if you use high-end tools that can save you 2 minutes per part. Quality cutting tools made by specialized carbide drill manufacturers like Online Carbide usually provide similar margins. They also increase part consistency which helps you avoid quality issues.
The main problem with cheap tools made of high-speed steel is their short tool life, their unpredictable behavior, and the dreaded drill walk. Even when starting perfectly conic pilot holes with a carbide spot drill, cycle times get extremely long when using HSS drills to follow the hole at crawling speeds. Executing the same operation with coolant-fed solid carbide double margin drills can reduce cycle times by up to 60% without a problem, eliminating drill walk while increasing overall part quality. In many shops, that can represent 5-digits on yearly savings.
Other processes benefit from the use of carbide tools as well. Creating threads is a process that can also represent long cycle times. For example, threading holes on hardened materials like HARDOX wear plates can usually mean going through tools at a speed of a hundred pieces per tap (and only if you use the expensive stuff). However, carbide thread mills can increase your hole count two or three times higher, while maybe spending a fraction of that.
Many shop owners think that cycle time and tool life are directly correlated. For example, most think that if they reduce cycle times, that necessarily means shorter tool life. But this is not necessarily true and is a belief that stems from availability and delivery issues caused by dealing with offshore manufacturers.
Domestic carbide drill manufacturers like Online Carbide ensure consistent availability and expediency while guaranteeing the use of the finest carbide substrates in all of their cutting tools. Their catalog is filled with options for different materials and applications, featuring the best hard coating technologies and design geometries for specific cuts and machining operations.
Get in touch with the tooling experts at Online Carbide, and take advantage of their unbeatable manufacturer direct prices and unparalleled tool quality. They offer free shipping on orders over $250, and gladly offer timely support and objective analysis so you know exactly how their tools would impact production and manufacturing costs.
