Cost-Saving

Scrap in deep hole drilling is more expensive than scrap in most other machining operations. By the time the hole is drilled, the part has already been turned, heat-treated, and faced. A scrapped bore means all that upstream work is lost. I have worked on reducing scrap rates across multiple shops. The approach that works is not complex — it is systematic. Track What You Are Scrapping The first step in reducing scrap is knowing what you are scrapping and why. Without data, you are guessing. ...

I spend more time managing coolant on my deep hole drilling machines than on any of my conventional CNC equipment. The reason is simple: deep hole drilling pushes coolant through the tool at high pressure, blasts chips out through the drill flute or annular gap, and in the process generates a massive volume of contaminated fluid that needs continuous treatment. After ten years of running BTA and gun drilling machines, I have learned that treating coolant as a disposable consumable is far more expensive than treating it as a managed resource. ...

Deep hole drilling machines are not the most energy-intensive machines in a shop, but they use significant power. The main energy consumer is the coolant pump, which runs continuously during the drilling cycle. I’ve found several ways to reduce energy consumption without affecting cycle time or hole quality. I cut my own shop’s energy bill by 18% over two years by implementing the measures described below. Where the Energy Goes On a typical deep hole drilling machine, the energy breakdown looks like this: ...

I’ve worked on machines that were 40 years old and still drilling good holes, and I’ve worked on 5-year-old machines that were falling apart. Age isn’t the only factor in deciding whether to retrofit or replace. Here’s what I’ve learned about the decision. Why Retrofit A retrofit replaces the control system, drives, and sometimes the spindles of an existing machine while keeping the base structure — the bed, columns, and way systems. The idea is that the structural components are still sound, and the outdated parts are what’s limiting performance. ...