In today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, innovation and efficiency go hand in hand. The burden falls on manufacturers to embrace innovation and adapt to the changes driven by e-mobility. Sandvik Coromant, a leading cutting tool specialist, recognizes the importance of designing for manufacturability (DFM) and offers advanced solid carbide drills that enable manufacturers to innovate efficiently.
DFM has emerged as a critical consideration across various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, and general engineering. The concept entails designing and developing products that can be manufactured with ease, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. For Sandvik Coromant’s customers, this translates into achieving a favorable cost-per-part or cost-per-hole in drilling and tapping applications while ensuring high reliability and productivity.
With the advent of e-mobility and the demand for customized products, the DFM landscape is evolving. Parts for electric and hybrid vehicles are diverse across manufacturers and are increasingly made from tough materials such as low-alloy steels, Inconel, and aluminum. To stay ahead of the curve, manufacturers must keep pace with these changes or risk being left behind.
The impact of advanced tooling solutions on DFM is most evident during the CAD-to-component phases of manufacturing. This encompasses three stages: CAD-to-spindle, spindle, and simple-to-component. Sandvik Coromant’s specialists play a pivotal role in optimizing these phases. They employ CAD and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) models, including digital twin-like simulations, to prepare machining operations, optimize tooling, workpieces, and machining parameters, and ensure efficient and reliable processes.
Within the realm of DFM, the design of a drill plays a vital role in producing high-quality holes. Sandvik Coromant’s cutting-edge drill geometries continually evolve to meet the highest manufacturing standards. The use of coolants also reduces heat buildup in the tools, further enhancing their performance. Sandvik Coromant’s experts work closely with customers, gathering relevant information on machining projects and providing same-day tool prototypes, revolutionizing the design and development process.
One of Sandvik Coromant’s standout products is the CoroDrill® 860, a solid carbide drill renowned for its fast and problem-free drilling capabilities, maximizing productivity through high metal cutting efficiency. It offers various geometries tailored to different materials, including the 860-MM designed for long-chipping stainless steel materials. The CoroDrill® 860-GM has proven particularly effective in drilling engine blocks, casings, flanges, and manifolds in the automotive industry, as well as in critical applications in aerospace, oil and gas, nuclear, and renewable power sectors.
Impressive results have been achieved with the CoroDrill® 860-GM. For example, an automotive manufacturer in Korea witnessed a significant improvement in tool life, reaching 1150% and accompanied by a boost in productivity. The drill allowed for the production of 2300 components (18400 holes) compared to the previous solution’s 200 components (1600 holes), leading to a notable reduction in cost-per-part.
In addition to drilling, Sandvik Coromant also offers advanced tapping solutions. Their CoroTap® series includes the CoroTap® 100, 200, 300, and 400, each optimized for specific applications. The upcoming CoroTap® 100-N and CoroTap® 400-N will cater specifically to tapping applications in aluminum, a material gaining prominence in manufacturing processes.
Sandvik Coromant’s cutting tools demonstrate how manufacturers can produce lighter, smaller, and more diverse components by utilizing tools designed for multiple materials. By incorporating DFM principles and leveraging these innovative solutions, machine shops can streamline their design and development processes, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness throughout manufacturing. Sandvik Coromant empowers manufacturers to embrace innovation while keeping DFM at the forefront of their operations.
