Selecting the Right Diamond Drill / Bit for Your Application

 

Selecting the right Diamond Drills/Bits for your application is key to obtaining desired diamond drilling results. Using the Right Diamond Drill will help you Save Time & Money. As well as avoid an unnecessary trial & error process. The article below was designed for diamond drill/bit users of all skill and experience levels. Ranging from beginner (novice) to experienced manufacturing engineer, researcher, contractor or hobby enthusiast. The following are some factors to consider when selecting the right diamond drill for your application. 

 

Today's growing variety and ever changing materials, Manufacturers, R & D facilities, hobbyists and everyone else involved in diamond drilling encounter wide variety of applications and challenges. The ever increasing variety of advanced, new generation, ultra hard, composite, micro, and exotic materials transform the way we look at diamond drilling. And set many age old diamond drills/bits and drilling methods obsolete. New materials require different technology and methods. 

And although, today's market place offers the Manufacturing Engineer, R & D Scientist, Hobby Enthusiast, Contractor and Home Owner hundreds of choices of diamond drills/bits, accessories, and equipment. It offers little advice on how the user can implement these tools to accomplish their specific objectives. Many users still spend days and even weeks, trying different diamond drills/bits, and experimenting with different types of drilling equipment. An expensive and time consuming trial and error process, which can be avoided with proper understanding of your material and objectives you need to accomplish. Proper preparation, attention to detail, and following basic diamond drilling technique can make the difference in the success of your diamond drilling operation.

 

Material to Be Drilled

 

a.)     Hardness of Material –

 

 Materials you are planning to drill will have a large impact in the types of diamond drills, equipment, and accessories you will be able to use. If you are drilling ultra hard materials such as sapphire, alumina, other types of advanced ceramics, high metallic content materials, precious and natural stone. It is generally recommended that you use a sintered (metal bonded) diamond drill. However, if you are drilling softer and less expensive materials such as glass, composites, soft stone and tile, an electroplated (nickel bonded) diamond drill may be a better and more cost effective solution. As a rule of thumb harder materials require softer bond, to drill faster and freer. While softer and abrasive materials require a harder bond, to last longer. Material Hardness is defined as the materials capability to resist deformation. All materials are classified by their scale of hardness. Material hardness is measured by many different hardness scales such as Mohs, Vickers, Knoop and other scales of hardness. Further information on determining and understanding hardness of your material is available in this article below.

 

b.)     How expensive is your material – 

 

Material cost will play an important role in selection of the right diamond drill/bit for your application. if the material you are planning to drill is precious, valuable, or expensive. Diamond drill/bit cost will play a minor role in your drilling operation. It is suggested that you obtain a thin wall diamond core drill to minimize material loss and deformation. It’s always a good idea to have some type of an estimate of target cost and quality per hole.

 

c.)     Material Thickness (maximum drilling depth) –

 

 The thicker the material you are planning to drill, the greater amount of coolant and pressure is required. Applications requiring you to drill over 1" (25.4mm) should be tread in a different way. We recommend running coolants from multiple directions. Through drill center, from side of drill, as well as drilling submerged in coolant. This will insure maximum amount of coolant and lubrication reaching your drilling zone. Running high pressure of coolant through center of your diamond drill/bit by using a water swivel adapter is highly recommended for drilling material over 1" (25.4mm) Thick. Longer Drilling depths may require drilling in several steps and using more than one diamond core drill / diamond drill bit.

 

d.)     Material Geometry & Density – 

 

Each material has different density, hardness, composition. For this reason a diamond drills/bits and techniques that may work on one material, may not work on another material. To obtain optimum drilling results, each diamond drill should be ideally made to factor in the unique differences and properties of each material. Shape, Size, Diameter, Hardness, and Brittleness of your material will affect not only your diamond drill/bit selection, but your choice clamping methods (holding your material in place), drilling equipment, speeds & feeds you can use.

 

Equipment to be used

 

The equipment you will be using and its physical condition, will dictate the speeds (RPM’s), feeds, and coolants you can use along with your diamond drills/bits. Hence, somewhat limiting your diamond drill selection. No matter what diamond drill you use or how well its made, it will not provide the performance you are looking for, if you don’t use the right drilling equipment for your application. Diamond drills are usually used on the following equipment: 

a.)     Drill Press

b.)    Angle Grinder/Hand Held Grinder

c.)    Cordless Drill / Hand Held Drill

d.)    CNC / Milling Machine

e.) High Speed Air Spindle

e.) Many Other Types of Equipment 

 

Drill presses, milling machines, or CNC machines are used in most industrial manufacturing applications. R & D facilities also tend to utilize the same equipment. Hobby Enthusiasts, Contractors, and Home Owners most often use hand held Drills, followed by drill presses, drilling rigs, and angle grinders. Proper drilling equipment for your diamond drilling application is discussed in further detail in this article below.

 

Application / Number of Holes to be Drilled

 

Your diamond drill requirements will greatly vary with your application & frequency of use and diamond drill/bit intended application. Diamond Drills, Diamond Core Drills, Diamond Drill Bits, Diamond Bits (usually mean same thing) are generally used for:  

 

a.) Industry / Production – 

  Diamond Drills/Bits are used everyday in thousands industries & operations to manufacture products yield (output per cost) from their diamond drills/bits. What is common about these applications is the Diamond Drill/Bit will be used every day or several times a day, drilling several thousand holes/cores or until the drill is warn out and replaced. Metal Bond (Sintered) diamond drills are usually recommended for this type of heavy duty use. However, if you have a very fine or specific finish requirement and do not polish material after drilling.  HYBRID Bond diamond drill or even Multi-Layered Electroplated Diamond Core Drills used with water swivel adapter to run high pressure of coolant through center of your diamond drill/bit may be the best solution for your application. No matter what stage your manufacturing operation, UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools has the Experience & Solutions to help you resolve even the most complex manufacturing challenges. Discover why thousands of manufacturing around the world turn to UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools to optimize their diamond drilling & machining operation to ultimate level of efficiency. that play an important role in our everyday lives. Ranging from advanced/technical ceramic parts machining, composite aerospace applications, optical lenses machining, stone countertop fabrication and much more. Diamond Drill & technical requirements are diverse as the manufacturing operations that use them. Typically manufacturing engineers & machinists demand a high level of consistency, accuracy,

 

b.)    Research & Development – 

 

Diamond Drill requirements in Research are diverse as fields and researchers that used them. Whether is drilling a hole or obtaining core sample. Most researchers & application engineers are primarily concerned about preserving material true micro structure and introducing least amount of damage & deformation possible to material being worked on. Research Applications range from materials sciences, advanced materials, advanced/technical ceramics, optics, metallography, geology, composites to new and breakthrough fields such as MEMS, Biotechnology and Nano Technology. Typical Research diamond drill/bit users include Universities, Government or Commercial Laboratories, Military Research Facilities, Space & Science Organizations, as well as R & D departments of large organizations. UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools understands the challenges faced by faced by R & D Organizations and has developed diamond drills/bits, accessories, and TOTAL SOLUTIONS to address most common R & D applications. We are constantly engaged in R & D and process development ourselves to keep up with increasing demands of the complex / advanced material world / community.

 

c.)    Hobby / Craft – 

 

Diamond Drills/Diamond Drill Bits are used for thousands of diverse type of art & craft applications. Materials frequently range from river rocks, all types of glass, jewelry, beads, lapidary (semi precious & precious stones). What is common about many of these applications is that the diamond drill will be used occasionally for a specific job and than stored for later use. If you are planning to make less than a 100 holes, we recommend you use an electroplated (nickel bonded) diamond drill. Electroplated diamond drills are recommended for beginning (novice) users, because they are usually more forgiving to operator error & mistakes. However, if you are planning to use the drill a number of times through the year. Sintered (metal bonded) diamond drill is a better overall solution and investment. Whether you are just starting out or are an experienced/accomplished crafts person, UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools has the solution to optimize your diamond drilling operation and help you reach the next level. Save money, time, and frustration. By using the right diamond drill/bit for your application the first time. Discover why the leading artisans commissioned by well known organizations such as Faberge, Courtie, Antique Restoration Houses, well known glass & stained glass artists, and jewelry manufacturers use & prefer diamond drills/bits manufactured by UKAM Industrial Superhard Tools.

 

Diamond drills for contractor applications

 

User Goals / Objectives

 

a.)   Drill Hole in Material

 

most drilling application involve drilling holes in variety of materials. In this case a hole is the end product. And obtaining an even, round hole is the desired result. The users focus should be on (OD) Outside Diameter of the drill. Either a hallow Diamond Core Drill or Diamond Solid Drill (without hole) can be used for this application. Faster drilling speeds and more efficient drilling results will be obtained with a so called Hallow Diamond Core Drill. Diamond Sold Drills are primarily used for drilling smaller size holes from .001" to 3/8". Hollow Diamond Core Drills are used for drilling larger size holes.

 

b.)   Obtain Core (material plug)

 

for some diamond drill users, obtaining the material core (center plug) that becomes stuck inside the core drill is the desired result. In this case the material core (plug) is the end product, not the hole itself. A core can only be obtained using so call "hallow diamond core drill". The diamond drills (ID) Inside Diameter becomes a critical dimension (parameter). We often manufacture diamond core drills, specifically to fit each individual customers requirements and tolerances. Please, specify that you need to obtain the Core when ordering diamond drills. Inside Diameters (ID) for most of our standard stock drills are listed in our web site. 

 

Ejecting the center core from center of diamond core drill becomes an important factor. Core can be manually removed from core drill through center of drill or slots provided on body of diamond drill. The most efficient way of removing core from center of drill, is using high pressure of coolant from water swivel adapter. Just increase pressure of coolant, every time core becomes stuck inside your drill. This is the fastest, easiest, and most efficient method for removing material center core.