Thousands of holes; maximum durability

Manufacturers are focusing more than ever on stabilising processes, strengthening operational resilience and achieving consistent output in high volume production. Against this backdrop, Mikael Carlsson, product application specialist at metal cutting and manufacturing solutions expert Sandvik Coromant, demonstrates how a holistic tooling strategy made a crucial difference for direct-drive system manufacturer, Hägglunds.

Efficient drilling doesn’t happen by chance: it comes from skilful engineering, strong collaboration and smart tooling choices. That was the challenge faced by Hägglunds, a Bosch Rexroth brand and Swedish manufacturer of direct drive systems, when machining cam rings from bearing steel: a notoriously difficult material for holemaking. The existing drill was neither durable nor reliable enough to deliver predictable hole quality, meaning operators needed to watch machines constantly, limiting uptime and slowing production.

“Our old tool just wasn’t durable or reliable enough. We didn’t trust it to deliver and couldn’t leave the machine unattended like we wanted to,” says Andreas Branthsson, Production Engineering Manager at Hägglunds.

Turning interruptions into uptime
Sandvik Coromant and Hägglunds have a long-standing partnership built on open dialogue and continuous improvement. The Sandvik Coromant approach goes far beyond simply supplying tools: it encompasses knowledge transfer, operator support and identifying optimisation opportunities as part of what the company calls manufacturing wellness: a mindset focused on skills, technology and process health across the operation.

To stabilise the drilling process and bring control from the first hole to the last, including enabling lights out machining without risking tool failure or part damage, engineers from Sandvik Coromant and Hägglunds pinpointed the need for a more wear resistant, repeatable solution.

The answer was the CoroDrill DE10, Sandvik Coromant’s second generation exchangeable tip drill launched in March 2025. Unlike the previous tool, the CoroDrill DE10’s patented pre-tension clamping interface, high clamping force and excellent centring deliver robust stability even when machining gets tough. This design enables straight holes with tight tolerances and supports a higher number of tips per drill body.

Impact on productivity
What sets the CoroDrill DE10 apart is its repeatable hole quality. During testing, thousands of holes were drilled with consistent results hole after hole.

“What makes this drill stand out is the repeatable hole quality,” says Mikael Carlsson. “We drilled thousands of holes and the consistency was there, hole after hole.”

Its performance enables trouble free drilling at high feeds and speeds and unmatched tool life when used with the recommended cutting data. Additionally, the tool’s versatile M5 tip geometry offers plug and play efficiency, is compatible with a wide range of materials and applications and requires no pilot drill or spare parts for tip changes.

With the CoroDrill DE10 in place, Hägglunds’ operators can leave machines running unattended and focus on other tasks, transforming downtime into predictable, continuous machining.

“The stability of the drill lets us push the machine harder without compromising quality. We increased productivity by 18% and doubled the time in cut per drill tip from 40 to 80 minutes. And the drill body lasts much longer,” Branthsson concludes.

Sandvik Coromant’s tooling approach
Rather than replacing machinery, Sandvik Coromant focuses on strengthening manufacturing processes through advanced tooling and collaboration. Solutions like the CoroDrill DE10 are designed to deliver repeatable precision, extended tool life and reliable performance: enabling manufacturers to increase output, reduce interruptions, and move toward more autonomous workflows without overhauling existing hardware.

Hägglunds’ experience is a clear demonstration of the value of precision tooling in demanding production environments. By combining engineering expertise, deep collaboration and the right drill, Sandvik Coromant helped the company achieve reliable high-volume production while reducing manual supervision.

Mr Carlsson says: “It’s a holistic approach grounded in what we call manufacturing wellness, looking at the bigger picture of skills, knowledge and technology.”

Investing in the right tooling doesn’t just improve outputs: it strengthens productivity, stability and resilience. Facilities that prioritise process performance, consistency and operator support stand to gain more from their existing machines while laying a foundation for future automation and lights out manufacturing.

To learn more about automation and smarter machine investment at Sandvik Coromant, visit the company website.