When
Sandvik Coromant launched the CoroDrill DE10 earlier this year, it wasn’t simply introducing another drilling tool. This exchangeable-tip drill marked a breakthrough in high-volume hole-making, offering a plug-and-play approach and universal -M5 geometry for faster, higher-quality and more versatile machining. Yet, as Mikael Carlsson, global product specialist for indexable rotating tools at Sandvik Coromant, said: “None of these benefits carry weight without understanding how they perform in real-world situations.”
The tool was developed with three clear objectives: ease-of-use, robust performance and adaptability. At its core is a patented tip-to-body interface combined with a high-strength steel drill body, delivering maximum stability under demanding cutting parameters. One of its most notable innovations is the injection-moulded solid carbide tip — a first for Sandvik Coromant. By adapting powder injection moulding, a process traditionally associated with plastics, the team achieved a more refined and consistent tool geometry. This tighter control of the drill’s centre and reinforced corner design ensures reliable performance even under aggressive cutting conditions.
Another key feature is the patented pre-tension clamping interface, which blends familiar design with enhanced security. This interface allows fast and easy tip changes without spare parts, guarantees reliable drilling at high feeds and speeds, and provides superior clamping strength. The result is straighter holes with tighter tolerances, eliminating the need for a pilot drill and extending drill body life — making CoroDrill DE10 the most robust exchangeable-tip drill of its kind.
To prove its capabilities, Sandvik Coromant undertook an extensive global benchmarking programme following the launch. Over several months, four Sandvik Coromant Centers — in Sandviken, Sweden; Renningen, Germany; Chongqing, China; and Mebane, USA — conducted rigorous real-world testing. Standardised cutting parameters were applied across steels (ISO P1 and P2) and stainless steels (ISO M1), comparing CoroDrill® DE10 against six major competitors. Hole diameter, surface quality, burr height, chip formation, tool life and process security were all assessed under identical conditions.
Exceptional process securityThe results consistently favoured CoroDrill DE10. In Sandviken, high-strength ISO P2 trials pushed the drills to their limits. The tool achieved H9/H10 hole tolerances with exceptional process security, while competitors failed to reach this accuracy range. Surface finish was consistently smooth (Ra 0.8–1.3µm) without tool damage, whereas competing tools showed chipping and corner wear despite similar roughness values.
Tests in Germany on ISO P1 material confirmed the tool’s stability. CoroDrill DE10 maintained or improved surface finish under optimised conditions (1.2–1.9µm), while one competitor deteriorated dramatically to 3.3–3.8 µm, indicating unstable cutting and poor edge quality. Another competitor was withdrawn early due to poor performance.
Wear analysis from Chongqing reinforced these findings. After 41m of drilling, CoroDrill DE10 exhibited only light flank wear and minor abrasion, with no edge breakage. Wear was uniform and predictable, signalling controlled cutting forces and stable chip evacuation. By contrast, one competitor showed brittle corner breakage at similar cutting lengths, while another suffered severe wear at just 38m, including chipping and coating failure.
Performance in ISO M materials was equally impressive. In Mebane, CoroDrill DE10 delivered precise hole diameters of 13.03–13.05 mm with a smooth surface finish (Ra 0.7–1.0µm), completing over 52.5 metres of drilling without reaching its tool life limit. Competing tools reached their wear limits at the same cutting length. In Sandviken, ISO M1 trials saw CoroDrill DE10 exceed 76m of drilling with usable life remaining, while a competitor failed at 53m. Hole diameters consistently met H9/H10 tolerance classes, whereas the competitor produced slightly under-sized holes — a fractional difference that can cause assembly issues in real-world applications.