Non-Metallic

Deep hole drilling was developed for metals, but modern manufacturing requires drilling holes through composites and non-metallic materials too. Carbon fiber reinforced polymers, fiberglass, technical ceramics, and engineered plastics all need precision bores for various applications. I have drilled composite components for aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial applications. The materials behave differently than metals, and the drilling parameters must be adjusted accordingly. For related work on difficult-to-machine materials, see BUE and aluminum gun drilling and micro-hole deep hole drilling. ...

I have spent years dialing in gun drilling parameters for steel, aluminum, and titanium. When the first batch of PEEK medical components landed on my desk, I assumed the same principles would apply with lighter cuts. I was wrong. Plastics and composites behave fundamentally differently under the cutting edge, and deep hole drilling amplifies every one of those differences. Here is what I have learned the hard way so you do not have to. ...