Case Study 3 - Connecting Rod Drilling

• Application: Drilling connecting rods
• Current Tool: Solid carbide straight flute drill
• Production Concerns: high frequency of tool change resultant in high tooling cost
• Goals: Increase drill life and eliminate drill breakage
• Current Tool Life: 1,500 holes
• Tool Life with EMG: 3200 holes

Current Tool The picture shows the edge condition of a drill after 1,000 holes. The edge is severely worn and the damage must be removed at regrind. Due to the severity of tool wear, each drill can only be reground 6 times.

Conicity Tool The picture shows the edge condition of a drill after 1,132 holes. The edge shows minimal damage after producing 3,200 holes. Each drill can be reground at least 10 times and increased tool life 3.6X 32,000 holes/drill from 9,000 holes/drill .

Summary
Tool Engineer’s Statement:
“We are maintaining a 100% improvement in tool life, (3,200 holes vs. 1,500 holes drilled). We are getting a minimum of 10 regrinds from the drills vs. 6 maximum prior. We have not broken a drill in months. Just as a side note, the chip control problem that we had has also disappeared. Thanks for your help and expertise.”

(Conicity edge preps the con-rod drills for this company on a contract basis that started November 2002.)