Do you find it difficult to drill through certain materials, and are your holes torn and ripped? Do you want to improve the quality of the holes you are drilling while being more productive?
With the right tool, drill bit and speed, virtually any material can be drilled. Whether you’re drilling through composite material or hardened steel for an oil and gas or metal-working application, the drill’s speed has the most impact on the quality and efficiency. Below are some top tips to help you drill more effectively and safely.
Effective drilling is all down to speed
Identify the material
First, identify what material you are drilling.
Soft Materials
Soft materials such as wood or composite are generally considered easy to drill, and little thought is given to the tool, especially if the drilled hole doesn’t need to be particularly high quality. However, if a hole needs to be drilled with precision, then the correct speed is vital. With the right speed and drill bit, the tool will be able to cut a clean, exact hole with ease.
Hard Materials
Hard materials, including hardened steel, alloy steel or cast iron, are tougher to drill than soft materials. A tool with correct power, torque and speed is imperative for drilling hard materials. Lower speed and lubrication are success factors here!
You can see the effect drill speed has on an aluminum sheet in our short video here:
To drill effectively : Is higher speed better?
A question we often get asked is: “Is higher speed better?” Absolutely not. To drill effectively you need to select the right speed for the material you want to drill. If the speed is too low, you risk tearing and ripping the hole. However, if the speed is too high you will not get bite in the material. This is especially true for hardened steel.
The drill bit must be sharp and in good condition. This will also reduce the necessary pressure you have to put on the tool.
Using a low speed drill (<1000 rpm) without a side handle can result in arm-twisting injuries if the drill bit becomes stuck.
Calculating the right speed
Here are 4 key steps to define the right speed for your drill:
Step 1: Identify the material to be drilled.
Step 2: Define the drill bit size.
Step 3: Identify the recommended speed of the tool using a drilling speed chart.
Step 4: Select your preferred tool based on factors other than the speed, for example:
Handle type
Duty
Reversible or non-reversible
Chuck capacity / type / brand
General tips
Here are a few general pieces of advice to follow:
When drilling a large hole, start by drilling a smaller pilot hole that is half the targeted diameter. It’s not uncommon to use three or four different-sized drill bits to achieve a good finish.
Take a few seconds to make a good mark with a hammer and center punch. This makes drilling much easier and increases the quality of the hole.
Let the drill bit cool down between each use and lubricate it during operation. That way it will last longer and drill faster.
Patience is your best friend for this type of job.
Double check you are using the optimal drill speed with a drill table.
And don’t forget our safety recommendations when using a power drill:
Always use a sharp drill bit in good condition.
Use the drill’s side handle when necessary to prevent the risk of injury.
Clamp the workpiece firmly, especially if it is small.
A drill speed chart is used to identify the required speed for each industrial drilling task. Knowing the correct speed enables you to select the best tool, which will optimize drilling efficiency.
There are two main questions to consider when selecting an industrial drill. Firstly, what type of material are you working on: alloy steel, cast iron, mild steel, aluminium or bronze, composite or wood? These choices are listed in the left-hand column of the drill speed chart. The figures beneath each material indicate the recommended cutting speed, which is related to the pressure applied to the drill. Secondly, what size of hole does the process require? The different diameters are shown along the top row in imperial and metric measurements.
Using the chart to correlate the type of material with the desired hole diameter reveals the recommended free speed in rpm (revolutions per minute). For example: a customer needs to make 6mm holes in alloy steel. The recommended pressure to apply for alloy steel is 5 to 15 meters per minute. According to the chart, he can choose a drill tool with a free speed between 500 to 900 rpm for optimum drilling productivity.
Cutting, grinding, and polishing materials such as metals and composites is tough work, but selecting the right grinder or sander for your application can reduce fatigue, optimize performance, and deliver outstanding...
Choosing the best angle grinder for your application can make a big difference to productivity and operator safety. The type of application, initial and ongoing costs, and ergonomic factors all play their part in reaching the final choice of pneumatic...
You may have specified the most efficient pneumatic tool for your application – for example, our new, advanced CP3T30 turbine grinder – but how do you know, and how can you...
