If you ask machinists and metal shop workers, many will say that holemaking is one of the most difficult jobs. There are big challenges when you deal with metals and alloys, including heat generation, tool wear, and the potential for surface damage. In fact, it is quite easy to ruin tools and workpieces. If you want to achieve the best result with tube drilling and other tasks, it is important to think about chip management.
The impact of chips
When you drill into metal, you’re physically chipping away to create the hole. As a result, you can’t avoid generating chips. Sadly, they can have a massive impact on the machining. In some cases they clog the hole. In others, they wrap around the drill bit or shank. Both can result in big issues, including poor quality holes. Even worse, there is a risk of destroying the whole machine or hand tool.
The most important thing to keep in mind is the chips will differ depending on the material you are working with and the drilling process itself. For example, stainless steel typically creates long, hot chips because it is ductile. However, the length and heat means they can easily wrap around the drill. Small chips are more likely with materials like iron. Their small size makes evacuation difficult, so holemaking is harder.
What to do?
If you want the best results with tube drilling and other machining processes, chip management is a must. There are a few vital things to do here.
Firstly, you need to monitor chip formation when you are working. You should be looking to make sure you aren’t creating small chips or long, irregular ones. The ideal aim is C and 9 shape chips that evacuate smoothly from the hole.
Another thing to do is make sure you listen to your tools during holemaking. The noises they make can indicate if there is a problem. For example, crunching sounds and rumbling may mean that chips are clogging the hole. Don’t continue drilling if you hear sounds like this from your tools; they’re likely to break.
Ensuring you get chips away from the hole as quickly as possible is important. One of the best ways to do this is to use high pressure cutting fluid. It will reduce the risk of problems and is also great for addressing the heat you will be generating with tube drilling and other machining.
Many issues happen because of the feed and drilling speed. Higher feeds can help to achieve more manageable chips, but you need to be careful to maximise tool life. Similarly, if you drill slowly, it can create thicker, longer chips. You can’t just speed up though; it could burn out your tools. Make sure you get the sweet spot and always follow the tooling provider’s guidelines.
It’s also really important to check your drill bits. They have a direct impact on chip formation, productivity, and performance. Crucially, it may be necessary to upgrade from HSS, especially if you are working with harder metals and alloys.
Speak to us and arrange tube drilling
Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd has been adapting tubing for a long time. We’ve got skilful machinists able to work with a variety of materials, including steel, titanium and copper. We achieve high standards with every process, including holemaking, bending, swaging, and more.
Working with us is a really rewarding process. We ensure accuracy and high quality finishes. Even better, we can support clients with all kinds of applications. So, get in touch today and ask us about tube drilling and/or other services.