Solid Carbide Drill with SGL-Point Geometry
Kennametal’s chip-friendly fluke design keeps stainless steel, nickel, and cobalt-based alloys from sticking to the cutting tool in aerospace and energy applications. The B21*SGL’s low thrust level enables productive drilling in delicate workpiece geometries.
Posted: March 25, 2020
The B21*SGL solid carbide drill with coolant-through from Kennametal (Latrobe, PA) is designed for aerospace and energy applications using stainless steel, nickel, and cobalt-based alloys, which tend to stick to the cutting tool and cause built-up edge and corner chipping.
The drill’s gash geometry, polished cutting edge, negative rake corner margin, and flute design mitigate these effects while encouraging chip evacuation and reducing cutting forces. Together with its patented point geometry, the B21*SGL’s monolayer PVD AlTiN coating improves productivity and extends tool life when predictable, high-production drilling is required.
“In customer tests, the B21*SGL consistently outperforms competing drills, producing more holes in less time with improved hole straightness and surface quality,” says Solid Carbide Drills Product Manager Frank Martin. “The new design virtually eliminates the risk of chipping and flaking that lead to drill failure. The unique point gash offers the lowest thrust level on the market, enabling productive drilling even in delicate workpiece geometries.
“A number of our customers have seen tool life improve by two to six times in a variety of challenging materials, even after increasing feed rates by up to 50% in some cases.”
Wear-resistant, high aluminum content – KCMS15 grade – contribute to the drill’s ability to make more holes per tool quickly and predictably. Holemaking is a critical machining process, especially for turbine production. Because the drilling operation typically comes near the end of the production cycle, when workpieces are at maximum value, a broken drill can damage or even destroy components worth tens of thousands of dollars.
“This will bring incredible value to anyone needing to drill large numbers of holes in Inconel, titanium, PH-series stainless steels, and other heat-resistant superalloys,” says Matthieu Guillon, key account manager, Aerospace, “especially relevant to aerospace manufacturers, given the tremendous pressure to ramp up production of the leading edge aviation propulsion (LEAP) aircraft engine program.”
