Unlocking the benefits of multi-material drills
Versatile drilling offers a key to more productive manufacturing
In January 2025, the World Economic Forum reported that facilities identified as part of its Global Lighthouse Network are achieving remarkable productivity gains of 70%, while simultaneously reducing energy costs by 40% and time to market by 40%. Lighthouses aside, how can all manufacturers raise their productivity, without increasing costs? Here, James Thorpe, Global Product Manager for Hole Making and Composite Machining at Sandvik Coromant, explains how a new drilling tool can enhance manufacturing production goals for multi-material applications.
Beyond the Lighthouse facilities, manufacturers across the globe are increasingly tasked with producing parts from a diverse array of materials — from hardened steels and composites to softer metals and plastics — all while striving for uncompromising precision and efficiency. Addressing these challenges head-on requires tooling solutions that not only push the boundaries of traditional drilling capabilities but also streamline operations in an increasingly competitive market.
Overcoming pain points
Drilling is a fundamental yet technically demanding operation in modern manufacturing. One of the most persistent challenges involves material variability. Manufacturers often work with a wide range of materials, from tough hardened steels to lightweight but ductile metals. Each material presents unique difficulties —hardened steels can cause excessive tool wear, while softer metals may deform under drilling forces.
Heat generation and tool wear are also significant concerns in drilling operations. High cutting speeds, prolonged machining cycles and demanding material compositions contribute to excessive heat buildup. This not only accelerates tool degradation but also impacts machining accuracy, leading to surface defects and deviations from required dimensions. Effective heat management solutions, both in tool design and machining strategies, are therefore critical for extending tool life and improving component quality.
Another key challenge is chip evacuation. In deep-hole drilling or high-feed applications, inefficient removal of chips can lead to clogging, increased heat generation and even tool failure. Drill flutes must be designed to facilitate smooth and consistent chip evacuation, preventing operational disruptions and maintaining stable machining conditions.
Process stability is equally essential for precision manufacturing. Accurate hole positioning and straightness are critical for high-quality components used in sectors such as aerospace and automotive. Any deviation can compromise the functionality of the final product, leading to costly rework or component rejection. Achieving and maintaining stability requires a combination of robust tool geometry and optimized machining parameters.
Lastly, manufacturers face growing pressures to adopt sustainable and cost-effective production practices. Reducing waste, extending tool life and minimizing energy consumption are priorities as companies strive to meet both economic and environmental goals. These factors drive the demand for drilling tools that deliver superior performance while lowering the total cost per part.
A drill for all materials
To boost productivity and maintain cost-efficiency, there’s a growing need for versatile drills that can handle multiple materials, eliminating the need for frequent tool changes while lowering tooling costs. Advances in coatings and tool design enable these multi-material drills to perform well without compromising quality, offering both cost savings and improved sustainability.
A prime example of this is CoroDrill® Dura 462, which is specifically engineered to enhance performance across a wide range of materials. Featuring a fine-grained cemented carbide substrate, CoroDrill® Dura 462 offers exceptional wear resistance and reliability with a well-controlled microstructure that ensures consistent results, even when working with challenging materials like hard metals or ductile alloys. This makes it an invaluable tool for manufacturers seeking uniform precision and stability, no matter the material composition of their components.
CoroDrill® Dura 462’s geometry is designed with versatility in mind. The tool’s point design significantly reduces cutting forces, improving positional accuracy, especially in high-tolerance applications. The drill’s clearance angles reinforce point strength, while its single-margin configuration helps minimize heat buildup, further enhancing tool stability and overall performance.
Further enhancing its performance is Sandvik Coromant’s patented Zertivo® 2.0 PVD coating, which, alongside the fine-grained carbide substrate, provides superior wear resistance and enables high-speed drilling while maintaining process stability.
Benchmarking results have shown the tool’s clear competitive advantage. In one customer case, CoroDrill® Dura 462 increased productivity by 110% and extended tool life by 36%. Another case demonstrated an 85% productivity gain and a tool life that more than doubled compared to a low-cost competitor.
While WEF's Lighthouse facilities guide the industry toward more efficient manufacturing, manufacturers need the right tools to navigate the complexities of multi-material production. By adopting versatile solutions that tackle material variability, heat management and process stability, they can chart a course toward significant productivity breakthroughs and operational excellence.
