The C900 indexable-insert drilling system from Sheffield-based WNT (UK) Ltd (www.wnt.com) has been further developed to offer even greater productivity. Already available with cutting depths of 3x, 4x and 5x drill diameter, the range has been extended to include 2x diameter drills. These allow users to maximise the performance of the C900 high-feed drills by making the most of the reduced flute length and the greater stability this brings.

As with the existing drills in the range, these latest additions use the same style of insert for the centre and peripheral cutting edges (different sizes of insert are required throughout the diameter range). A further benefit offered by these inserts is the fact that they have four cutting edges, reducing tool inventory and costs.

The 2x diameter drills are available in the diameter range 14-63mm, with the shortened flute length enhancing these tools’ ability to be used in applications where holes are required to be machined in uneven, inclined and convex
surfaces, for example. WNT adds that the drills can also be used on components with cross-holes and welded seams; they can also be used for ‘chain drilling’ operations.

Further simplifying the application of C900 drills is the use of a single carbide grade — CCN 1430 PVD-coated — which provides the optimum combination of toughness and wear resistance required for the drilling process.

Tony Pennington, managing director of WNT (UK), says: “The C900 high-feed drill range is proving to be extremely popular, thanks to its simplicity and versatility. With the addition of these shorter variants, customers have even more options when it comes to improving the efficiency of hole production — and they can use the inserts for C900 drills they already have.”