Challenge
An application development project was carried out for a customer in the automotive sector with the goal of improving a deep-hole drilling process on a gray cast iron housing, a particularly critical operation due to the presence of interrupted cuts and the high load required of the tools.
The main requests were:
- Reduce cycle time
- Increase tool life, especially for long drills, which are more heavily stressed during machining
Solution
The activity included a complete review of the drilling strategy, supported by careful optimization of cutting parameters, with the aim of making the process more stable and efficient.
Results
The results achieved showed a significant improvement in both productivity and tool life, involving both the pilot drill (10xD) and the long drill (30xD):
Pilot drill 10xD
Long drill 30xD
Overall, this led to a drilling process that is faster, more stable, and more reliable, even under demanding conditions such as interrupted cuts.
| Test data excerpt |
Current |
Test |
| D |
Cutting diameter [mm]
|
5.5 |
5.5 |
| F |
Feed [mm/min]
|
115 |
780 ↑ |
| S |
Spindle speed [rpm]
|
5766 |
5200 ↓ |
| Q |
Chip volume [cm³/min]
|
99 |
665 ↑ |