The material that the drill bit is made of. Choosing the right material for your workpiece can shorten work time, reduce cost and prevent premature wear.
Carbide-tipped cuts faster than high speed steel. It is commonly used on ferrous and non-ferrous materials including cast iron, steel and steel alloys.
Powdered Metal (PM) is tougher and more cost effective than solid carbide. It is commonly used on highly abrasive materials including high silicon aluminums.
Solid carbide provides better rigidity than high speed steel. It is extremely heat-resistant and used for high-speed applications on cast iron, non-ferrous materials, plastics, and other tough-to-machine materials.
Vanadium high speed steel (HSSE) is made of high speed steel, carbon, vanadium carbide and other alloys to increase abrasive wear-resistance and toughness. It is commonly used in general applications on stainless steels and high silicon aluminums.
Drill Bit Finish/Coating
The finish/coating increases productivity, increases tool life and provides the ability to run the tool at higher speeds.
Aluminum chromium nitride (AlCrN) has higher heat resistance than AlTiN. It is commonly used for machining aircraft and aerospace materials, nickel alloys, stainless steel, titanium, cast iron and carbon steel.
Aluminum titanium nitride (AlTiN) is one of the most abrasive-resistant and hardest of the coatings. It is commonly used for machining aircraft and aerospace material, nickel alloys, stainless steel, titanium, cast iron and carbon steel.
Oxide gold finish provides a polished finish and prevents chip building, galling and welding on a workpiece. It is commonly used on low carbon, stainless steel and ferrous metals.
Titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) has a higher hardness than TiN and TiCN. It is extremely heat-resistant and commonly used for high speed applications on stainless steels, nickel and titanium alloys.
TiAlN and TiN is a multi-layer coating that combines the heat-resistance of TiAlN and the high-hardness of TiN. It is commonly used on softer materials in general purpose applications.
Titanium nitride (TiN) is a multi-purpose coating that iincreases chip flow in softer materials. The heat and hardness-resistance allows the tool to run at higher speeds than uncoated tools.
TiN and TiAlN is a multi-layer coating that combines the high-hardness of TiN and the heat-resistance of TiAlN. It is commonly used on softer materials in general purpose applications.
Slow spiral bits have wider flutes and used in heavier feeds. They are used on non-ferrous materials including aluminum, brass, copper and cast iron.
Drill Point Angle
Drill point angle refers to the drill bit's angle. Higher point angles are used for harder materials, while lower angles are used for softer materials.
Number of flutes refers to the number of grooves or valleys that are cut into the body of the drill bit. Higher numbers of flutes increase the strength of the bit and reduce space or chip flow.