Micro drilling can be applied by micro-component manufacturers in several industries to produce components ranging from hydraulic valves, watch cases and medical devices to surgical instruments, electrical connectors, electronic parts, actuators, sensors, navigational systems — and more.

To help support the challenges these products and applications present, Sandvik Coromant has introduced two new micro-drills to its product range — the CoroDrill 462 with -XM geometry, and the CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry.

Sandvik says manufacturers of electronic components not only face the challenges of increasing miniaturisation but also the fact that these are often manufactured from difficult-to-machine materials like Inconel, stainless steel and titanium. “Moreover, manufacturers must achieve the highest levels of component quality while maintaining flawless surface finishes — particularly for components such as fibre optic connectors.

“CoroDrill 462 with -XM geometry and CoroDrill 862 with -GM geometry are both designed to deliver outstanding performance with challenging materials, including ISO P, M, K, N, S, O and H. Furthermore, CoroDrill 862 micro drills can be specified with the option of a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) ‘vein’ cutting edge.

“Based on tests of PCD drills on micro parts made from platinum, these PCD drills were shown to be up to 100-times more wear resistant than solid-carbide drills — and they are more accurate and capable of producing tighter tolerances.

“As with macroscale applications, it is critical to have a high-quality coolant delivery to effectively evacuate chips when performing deep-hole drilling with micro tools. CoroDrill 462 can drill up to 6xD with external coolant, while CoroDrill 862 can drill hole depths of up to 9xD when using external coolant. A through-coolant option is also available for drilling diameters of 1.00mm and larger and hole depths of up to 16xD. The immediate effects of coolant are extended tool life and a reduced risk of chip jamming.”

Moreover, both the CoroDrill 462 and 862 micro drills can be offered as customised tooling solutions that are optimised for specific features or machining operations, as Sandvik can configure the tools based on diameter, usable length, step-diameter length, and shank diameter — and a large assortment of drills is available from stock.