Longer Flexible Miniature Drills

Last year Mikron Tool announced the development of flexible solid carbide drills. These drills, starting at 0.1 mm diameter, achieved drilling depths up to 30 x D. The Swiss tool producer has expanded its drilling program of CrazyDrill Flex. "We are now talking about drilling depths up to 50 x D with integrated cooling which is indispensable for extreme drilling depths. Also offered is an option especially for the machining of titanium," said a company spokesperson.

Many characteristics of the extra-long tool resemble its precursor. Just like the first version of CrazyDrill Flex, this newer version keeps the special features of the flexibility of a HSS drill and the precision and long tool life of a solid carbide drill. Also this version has a flexible center part between the drill section and the clamping shank allowing the necessary elasticity to the tool for drilling under difficult circumstances (for example, drilling with alignment errors or under unstable circumstances).

The length starts at 0.3 mm diameter and drilling depths up to 50 x D. Also the integrated cooling in the tool is conducted through the shank and is guided directly to the cutting edge, independently of the tool length. Due to the special configuration and profile of the coolant holes, a very concentrated stream is achieved and able to clean the flutes. Also in the case of high speed the coolant stream remains concentrated. Besides conventional cutting oil, it is also possible to apply an air-oil-mist lubrication.

"The success of Mikron's CrazyDrill Flex is based on a controlled drilling process with consistent and frequent pecking. Normally, you machine with drill steps of 0.5 up to 1 x D; cutting speed and feed depend on the material to be machined but compared to the short version, it needs to be reduced slightly. Before operating with this tool for the first time, we recommend asking for some assistance from the specialists at Mikron Tool," said a company spokesperson.

CrazyDrill Flex also has an execution with modified geometry especially adapted for the machining of titanium. For drilling depths up to 30 x D, the Flex drill works well with external lubrication. For drilling depths up to 50 x D the Flex drill has internal cooling in the shank.

The Flex drills are available in steps of one hundredth millimeter (from stock in steps of five hundredths millimeter) for drilling depths of 50 x D, as well as the shorter lengths of 20 x D and 30 x D.

For more information contact:

Oscar Weder

Mikron Corp. Monroe

P.O. Box 268

200 Main Street

Monroe, CT 06468

203-261-3100

mmo@mikron.com

www.mikron.com