Deep hole drilling on a lathe is used in many industries, but its origins lie in the need to drill very precise and straight barrels where the depth to diameter ratio can exceed 20:1 and reach 100:1 (with a maximum size of 150 mm and a length of up to 4000 mm).
Deep hole drilling in metal is performed using special cutting tools and machines that allow more coolant to flow into and out of the hole to remove chips. Most deep drilling operations also require special equipment and special tools.
Our experts ensure the highest quality of deep drilling by adhering to the strictest standards and using advanced technology. We guarantee the reliability and precision of the deep drilling process to meet the needs of customers in various industries such as oil and gas, mechanical engineering, aircraft and others.
Deep metal drilling technologies
Specialised machines consist of two spindles that rotate the workpiece together with the cutting tool, creating a very precise and straightforward drilling pattern. A commonly used method is deep drilling, using long and thin cutting tools to make very precise and straight holes in workpieces that exceed the capabilities of conventional drills.
For example, the well-known shotgun drills differ from conventional drills in that they have one straight cutting edge and one internal hole for supplying special coolant. The coolant is fed under pressure through the inner hole, and chips are discharged through a single groove along the shank.
Deep metal drilling – features:
Deep hole drilling on CNC machines is a standard process for making holes in metal materials. Twist drilling is a common and well-known method for creating holes.
A twist drill consists of two main cutting edges and a small bit. The forces generated during the drilling operation are the cutting forces, a pair of tangential forces acting on the cutting edges.
These forces are radial forces that are of equal magnitude and balance each other. The position of the drill tip and the position of the cutting edges on the drill head determine whether the drill is balanced or unbalanced.
When the drill tip is positioned in the centre of the drill head, an even distribution of the cutting edges is achieved. Symmetry is achieved and the resulting forces balance each other out. Thus, no radial forces are generated during the ideal drilling process.
Deep drilling: main aspects and advantages
Deep drilling is a complex process characterised by high metal removal rates and hole accuracy. This process is used when machining holes with a relatively large depth to diameter ratio.
As the depth of the hole increases, the need for both tools and processing methods increases. A hole that is more than ten times deeper than its diameter requires special drilling techniques. When drilling deep holes, the depth to diameter ratio can be as high as 100:1.
Deep drilling applications in various industries
Deep drilling services are in high demand and are used in various machining processes. Deep drilling is used in many industries. It is required in:
- heavy engineering;
- aerospace industry;
- petrochemical and gas industry;
- metallurgical industry;
- transport industry;
- nuclear power industry, etc.
Deep hole drilling is commonly used in the plastics processing industry. Every industrial or laboratory extruder has a single screw or twin screw plasticising system. The cylinder of the plasticising system is almost always manufactured using deep hole drilling technology.