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Drilling wear and troubleshooting

Drilling wear and troubleshooting

Drilling tool maintenance and safety precautions

Troubleshooting
Indexable insert drill
Exchangeable-tip drill
Solid carbide drill

Indexable insert drill

Oversized holes

Rotating drill

1. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill

2. Try a tougher geometry on the peripheral side (keep centre insert)

Non-rotating drill

1. Check alignment on lathe

2. Rotate drill 180 degrees
3. Try a tougher geometry on the peripheral side (keep centre insert)
Undersized holes

Rotating drill

1. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill

2. Try a tougher geometry on the centre side and a light cutting geometry on the peripheral side

Non-rotating drill

1. Stationary: Check alignment on lathe

2. Stationary: Rotate drill 180 degrees
3. Try a tougher geometry at the centre and a light-cutting geometry at the periphery

Pin in hole

Rotating drill

1. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill

2. Try a di erent geometry on the peripheral side and adjust feed rate within recommended cutting data
3. Shorten drill overhang

Non-rotating drill

1. Check alignment on lathe

2. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill
3. Shorten drill overhang
4. Try a di erent geometry on the peripheral side and adjust feed rate within recommended cutting data

Vibrations
 1. Shorten drill overhang, improve the workpiece stability
2. Reduce cutting speed
3. Try a di erent geometry on the peripheral side and adjust feed rate within recommended cutting data

Insu cient machine torque

1. Reduce feed
2. Choose a light cutting geometry to lower the cutting force

Insu cient machine power

1. Reduce speed
2. Reduce feed
3. Choose a light cutting geometry to lower the cutting force

Hole not symmetrical

Hole widens at bottom (due to chip jam on centre insert)

1. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill

2. Try a di erent geometry on the peripheral side and adjust feed rate within recommended cutting data
3. Shorten drill overhang

Poor tool life

 1. Check cutting data recommendation
2. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill
3. Shorten drill overhang, improve the workpiece stability and check tool holding
4. Check tip/insert seat and screw for damage
5. See typical wear for speci c remedies
6. Choose a more wear resistant grade if possible

Broken insert screws

1. Use torque wrench to fasten the screw together with Molykote

Bad surface nish

1. Important to have good chip control

2. Reduce feed (if it is important to keep vf, increase speed as well)
3. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill
4. Shorten drill overhang, improve workpiece stability

Chip jamming in the drill utes

Caused by long chips

1. Check geometry and cutting data recommendations

 2. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill
3. Reduce feed within recommended cutting data
4. Increase cutting speed within recommended cutting data

De ection

Hole tolerance out of range

Bad surface nish - retraction mark
Wear on tool body
Insert breakage

Cause
Cutting forces too high
Insu cient stability
Solution
1. Choose geometry with smaller corner radius
2. Reduce feed
3. Reduce feed at entrance
1. Increase stability
2. Choose a shorter tool body (4xD -> 3xD)

Chip forming problems

Long-chipping materials, e.g. stainless or low carbon steel
Result Possible cause Solution
Bad/long chips - chip Wrong geometry Choose geometry –LM
jamming
Bad surface nish Cutting speed too low Increase cutting speed
Insert or tool breakdown Feed too high Decrease feed

Short-chipping materials, e.g. normal steel

Result Possible cause Solution
Bad/long chips - chip Non rotating tool Choose geometry for low feed
jamming (lathe) (GR -> GM)
Bad surface nish Wrong geometry Increase feed
Insert or tool 1. Cutting speed Increase cutting speed
breakdown too low
2. Feed too low
 

Exchangeable-tip drill
Out of hole tolerance
 1. Check tip wear
2. Check-run out
3. Decrease feed
4. Check work piece stability, tool holding and workpiece surface
5. Pilot/spot drill for longer drills
6. If non-rotating application - check alignment

Vibration
 1. Shorten drill overhang, improve workpiece stability, check tool holding
2. Reduce cutting speed
3. Adjust feed/rev

Insu cient machine power or torque

1. Reduce speed
2. Reduce feed
3. Choose a light cutting geometry to lower the cutting force
Hole not cylindrical

Hole widens at entrance

1. Check run-out
2. Adjust feed
3. Shorten drill overhang and check tool holding
4. Make a pilot hole with short drill for longer drills

Poor tool life

Check cutting data recommendation

1. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill

2. Shorten drill overhang, improve workpiece stability and check tool holding
3. Check tip/insert seat and screw for damage
4. See typical wear for speci c remedies
5. Choose a more wear resistant grade if possible

Bad surface nish

 1. Important to have good chip control
2. Reduce feed (if it is important to keep vf, also increase speed)
3. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill
4. Shorten drill overhang, Improve the work piece stability

Chip jamming in the drill utes

 1. Adjust cutting data for improved chip control
2. Increase coolant ow, clean lter, clear coolant holes in drill, check coolant concentration
3. Problems with chip jamming can cause extreme drill body wear
4. Remove any workpiece material stuck on drill body to avoid chip jamming

Entrance chip
"Needles" on the periphery

1. Risk of excessive wear if needles can be seen on the start chip periphery
2. Probable cause - imbalance due to:
Run-out
Inclined entrance
Too high feed
Unstable/weak conditions
Corner breakage/wear

Chip control - Optimization

 1. Scratch mark on the chips as seen above is a sign of chip jamming which in uences hole quality in a negative way. To
improve hole quality the recommendation is to reduce feed and, if possible, increase speed

Solid carbide drill

Entrance chip – Solid carbide/exchangeable tip drills
"Needles" on the periphery

1. Risk of excessive wear if needles can be seen on the start chip periphery
2. Probable cause - imbalance due to:
Run-out
Inclined entrance
Too high feed
Unstable/weak conditions
Corner breakage/wear

Chip control - Optimization

 1. Scratch mark on the chips as seen above is a sign of chip jamming which in uences hole quality in a negative way. To
improve hole quality the recommendation is to reduce feed and, if possible, increase speed

Drilling wear types

Indexable insert drills
Exchangeable-tip drill
Solid carbide drill

Indexable insert drills

Flank wear

Flank wear is the preferable wear type when balanced. Flank wear can result in

Poor surface nish

 Hole tolerance out of range
Power increase

Cause Action
1. Cutting speed too high (vc) 1. Decrease cutting speed (vc)
2. Insu cient wear resistance in grade 2. Select a more wear resistant grade

Crater wear
Central insert Peripheral insert  

Crater wear can result in

Weak cutting edge that can cause edge breakage and generate bad chips
Poor surface nish
Power increase

Cause Action
Central-insert: abrasive chips (workpiece material) Central insert: reduce feed
Peripheral insert: di usion wear caused by high temperature (worse Peripheral insert:
for PVD) 1. Decrease cutting speed
2. Select a more wear resistant grade (often MT-
CVD)
Select a more positive geometry for better chip
formation

Plastic deformation
Depression Impression  

Edge depression or impression can cause poor chip control, poor surface nish and hole out of tolerance.
Cause Action
Cutting temperature too high, combined with high pressure (feed and/or Decrease feed (fn)
workpiece hardness) Select grade with better resistance against PD
(hot hardness)
Decrease cutting speed (vc)
A nal result of excessive ank and/or crater wear Select grade with better resistance against PD
(hot hardness)
Decrease cutting speed (vc)
Chipping in cutting zone

Chipping in cutting zone can result in

Exaggerated ank wear

Poor surface nish

Cause
Unstable conditions
Irregular surface
Insu cient toughness of grade
Insert geometry too weak
Insu cient cutting uid
Sand inclusions (cast iron)
Action
Improve stability (tool overhang, xating)
Reduce feed at entrance. Choose tougher geometry
Select a tougher grade
Select a stronger geometry
Increase cutting uid
Choose a stronger geometry, reduce feed

Breakage
Breakage can result in

Tool break down

Destroyed workpiece
Cause Action
Insu cient stability Improve stability (shorten tool overhang, better workpiece xturing etc.)
Intermittent cutting Reduce feed, choose tougher geometry (-GR or –GT)
Insu cient cutting uid Increase cutting uid
Too high feed or too high/low cutting speed Adjust cutting data
Grade too brittle (P-insert) Choose a tougher grade
Insert worn out Determine safe tool life on peripheral insert

Built-up-edge (BUE)

Built-up edge can result in

Poor surface nish and edge frittering when BUE is ripped away by chips
Chipping of cutting edge

Cause Action
Unfavourable temperature (cutting speed) Increase/decrease cutting speed (high/low temperature)
Select a coated grade
Too negative cutting geometry Select a more positive geometry
Sticky material Increase oil mixture and volume/pressure in cutting uid
Too low oil mixture in cutting uid Increase oil mixture and volume/pressure in cutting uid
 

Exchangeable-tip drill
Typical wear in di erent materials for -PM geometry
Unalloyed steel / CMC01.1
 Margin / periphery wear starts as notch and develops along margin width and into ute
Continuously growing wear on main edge

Low alloy steel / CMC02.2

 Continuously growing wear on main edge/margin close to corner

Flank wear
 

Flank wear on main edge Flank wear on circular land

Normal and preferable wear type when balanced

Cause Action
Cutting speed too high Decrease cutting speed
Percentage of oil in cutting uid ow too low Increase percentage of oil in cutting uid
(check with oil distributor to be sure to not exceed recommended
percentages of oil)
Insu cient cutting uid ow Increase cutting uid ow
Total indicator run-out too large (if wear on Check radial run-out (if wear on margin)
margin)

Plastic deformation

Cause Action
Cutting speed and/or feed too high Decrease cutting speed and/or feed
Insu cient cutting uid ow Increase cutting uid ow

Chipping
 

Chipping on periphery Chipping on main edge

Chipping is a very common wear type when drilling into a pre-drilled hole. If the point angle is smaller on the pre-drilled hole, stability will
be poor and the corners can be damaged. This can also happen if tolerances on point angles do not match. This can be avoided with
custom made drills or with at bottom holes made by milling.
Cause Action
Unstable conditions Check set-up
Total indicator run-out too large Check radial run-out
Feed too high Decrease feed
Insu cient cutting uid ow (thermal cracking) Check cutting uid supply
Built-up edge

Cause Action
Unsuitable cutting speed 1. Increase cutting speed when BUE in centre
2. Decrease cutting speed when BUE in periphery
Percentage of oil in the cutting Increase percentage of oil in cutting uid (check with oil distributor to be sure to not exceed
uid too low recommended percentages of oil)
If you cannot fully avoid the BUE zone, calculate a speed that locates the BUE in the strongest part of the drill (= 50% of diameter).
The use of external cutting uid can in uence chip evacuation negatively.
 

Decrease cutting speed to move

Increase cutting speed to move BUE to periphery or eliminate BUE
towards BUE centre of the drill

Solid carbide drill
Flank wear
Flank wear on main edge
Preferable wear type when balanced
Cause
Total indicator run-out too large
Cutting speed too high
Feed too low
Grade too soft
Insu cient cutting uid
Flank wear on chisel edge
Flank wear on circular land
Action
Check radial run-out
Decrease cutting speed
Increase feed
Use a harder grade
Increase cutting uid pressure
Cause Action
Total indicator run-out too large Check radial run-out
Cutting speed too low Increase cutting speed
Feed too high Decrease feed
 
Flank wear on chisel edge will also in uence on hole quality due to bad centering.

Chipping
 
Chipping on periphery Chipping on main edge

Chipping is a very common wear type when drilling into a pre-drilled hole. If the point angle is smaller on the pre-drilled hole, stability will
be poor and the corners can be damaged. This can also happen if tolerances on point angles do not match. This can be avoided with
custom made drills or with a at bottom hole made by milling.
Cause Action
Unstable conditions Check set-up
Total indicator run-out too large Check radial run-out
Insu cient cutting uid (thermal cracking) Check cutting uid supply
Maximum allowed wear exceeded Adjust cutting data

Drill breakage

Cause Action
Total indicator run-out too large Check radial run-out
Unstable conditions Check set-up
Insu cient spindle power Check cutting data
Chip jamming Check cutting uid supply
Feed too high Decrease feed
Excessive wear Check wear more frequently

Built-up edge
Cause Action
Cutting speed and edge temperature too low 1. Increase cutting speed when BUE in centre
2. Decrease cutting speed when BUE in periphery
Negative land too large Sharper cutting edge
No coating Coating on the edge
 
If you cannot fully avoid the BUE zone, calculate a speed that locates the BUE in the strongest part of the drill (= 50% of diameter).
The use of external cutting uid can in uence chip evacuation negatively.
 

Increase cutting speed to move

BUE towards centre of the drill Decrease cutting speed to move
BUE to periphery or eliminate BUE

Typical wear
Regardless of material

Always ank wear

Chipping is seldom seen
Process security

Unalloyed steel / CMC01.1

Margin / periphery wear
Wear starts as notch
Grows towards corner
Low alloy steel / CMC02.2

Corner wear
High alloy steel / CMC03.11

Signi cant ank wear

Small damages on corner
Corner design
Caution!

Do not misjudge the reinforcement as wear