WHEN To USe COOLANT FED DRILLS
While Coolant Fed Drills (also known as coolant-thru drills) provide a number of benefits in any industrial holemaking application, they are best suited for specific applications that fit the following criteria:
- Deep hole capability required: A coolant through drill allows for high penetration rates, and is especially effective for making holes greater than 3X the tool diameter's depth.
- Preferred workpiece material: Coolant fed drills are ideal for use on stainless steels, non-ferrous materials, cast irons, medium & high strength steels, and some high temp alloys.
- Elimination of secondary finishing applications preferred: A coolant through drill creates a better quality hole that typically eliminates the need for reaming, honing or boring the hole.
Why Use COOLANT FED DRILLS: the benefits
Using Coolant Fed Drills for holemaking reduces the tool’s core temperature, while it simultaneously improves lubricity and chip evacuation. This not only effectively improves tool performance and extends tool life, but it also reduces the cost per hole. Workpiece results are improved with truer holes and tighter tolerances as well.
- Reduced Cost: The coolant through tool allows for high penetration rates, and an increase in feeds and speeds while reducing or eliminating the pecking cycle. This results in decreased cycle time and lower cost per hole.
- Extended Tool Life: The cost per hole is further decreased by using a tool that won’t need replacing as often. With reduced temperatures for both the drill and the workpiece, as well as increased lubricity, the life of the tool is extended because coolant is delivered directly to the cutting edge—therefore cooling the area and aiding in chip evacuation.
- Better Quality Product: Coolant drilling creates rounder and straighter holes and smoother finishes as the coolant washes chips away from the drill point. These chips would otherwise cause binding or marking, in addition to damaging the workpiece, so this process reduces the need for secondary finishing operations.
Want to learn more?
We believe the Right Tool Is Everything™, and we strive to share our experience and expertise in an effort to ensure you select the right tool for your application, follow best practices, and can push your productivity further.
Download our Holemaking Guide by clicking below. By downloading, you'll learn about:
- Drill style, length and shank options and when to use them
- Choosing the right drill for your material with our drill selection chart
- Drill performance levels
- The benefits of coolant-fed drills
- Reamer types & when to use them
- Speed & feed recommendations for reamers
- Troubleshooting counterboring applications, and more!