Technology

Based on what I have seen at trade shows like IMTS and EMO, in new machine introductions, and in conversations with machine builders, several trends are shaping the future of deep hole drilling technology. The industry is moving toward more automation, better data integration, and higher performance machines. I have been tracking these developments because they affect the decisions shop owners make about equipment investments. Automation and Lights-Out Manufacturing Automation is the biggest change in deep hole drilling over the last five years. Robotic part loading and unloading is becoming standard on new machines above a certain price point. I have seen cells that run unattended for hours, loading parts, drilling, checking them with in-process gauges, and sorting them by size. ...

I’ve worked on deep hole drilling machines from the 1970s through modern CNC equipment. The changes over 50 years are significant. What was once a craft dependent on operator feel has become a data-driven process managed by software. The Manual Era (1970s-1980s) Machines from this period were manual or NC controlled. The operator set feed rates by turning hand wheels and felt the cutting forces through the hand wheel. Experienced operators could tell when the drill was cutting properly by the resistance they felt. ...