Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

Drilling Machine
The drilling machine is defined as a machine which is used to make a circular hole, a tool used to drill
the holes of different size and other related operations using a drill bit.

The drilling machine is one of the most important machines in a workshop. As regards its importance
it is second only to the lathe machines. Holes were drilled by the Egyptians in 1200 B.C. about 3000
years ago by bow drills. The bow drill is the mother of present-day metal cutting drilling machine.

In drilling, machine holes may be drilled quickly and at a low cost. The hole is generated by the
rotating edge of a cutting tool known as the drill which applies a large force on the work clamped on
the table. As the machine uses vertical pressure to originate a hole it is loosely called a "drill press".

Parts of Drilling Machine

Following are the main parts of drilling machines:

1. Base
2. Column
3. Table
4. Radial Arm
5. Drill head
6. Spindle speed and Feed mechanism.

Read also: Milling Machine: Main Parts and its Working Principle

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

Base
The base is that part of the machine on which the vertical column is mounted. The base is made of
casting. A base supports the column and worktable with other attachments. The top of the base is
round column section type upright drilling machined and has T-slots on it so that large workpieces
and work holding devices may be set up and bolted to it. The base of the machine may be mounted
on a bench or on the floor.

Column
The Column is the verticle member of the machine which supports the table and the head containing
all the driving mechanism. It is a cylindrical casting mounted vertically at one end of the base and
supports the radial arm, which slides up and down.

An electric motor at the top of the column helps in the vertical adjustment of the arm by rotating a
screw passing through a nut attached to the arm.

Table
The table is mounted on the column and is provided with T-slots for clamping the work directly on its
face. A table is round or rectangular in shape.

Radial Arm
It is mounted on the column and extends horizontally over the base. It has guide ways on which drill
head slides. The radial arm moves around the column.

Drill head
It is mounted on the redial arm and drives the drill spindle. In some of the drill machines, the drill
head may be adjusted up or down for accommodating different heights of the work in addition to
the table adjustment.

It encloses all the mechanism for driving the drill at a different speed and feeds. In lighter machines,
the driving motor is mounted at the rear end of the head counterbalancing the weight of the drill
spindle.

Spindle speed and feed mechanism

The motor at the top of the drill head drives the horizontal spindle and the motion is transmitted to
the drill head through a group of bevel gears. With another group of gears, different spindle speed
and feed are obtained.

The main advantage of this type of drilling machine is that holes of variable sizes at any point and at
any angles can be drilled on the large-sized work piece without moving the work piece.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

Types of Drilling Machine

Following are the 8 different types of drilling machine.

1. Portable drilling machine

2. Sensitive drilling machine
a) Bench mounting sensitive drilling machine
b) Floor column upright drilling machine
3. Upright drilling machine
a) Round column upright drilling machine
b) Box column upright drilling machine
4. Radial drilling machine
a) Plain drilling machine
b) Universal drilling machine
c) Semi-universal drilling machine
5. Gang drilling machine
6. Multiple spindle machine
7. Automatic drilling machine
8. Deep hole drilling machine
a) Vertical deep hole drilling machine
b) Horizontal deep hole drilling machine

1. Portable Drilling Machine

This types of drilling machines are commonly used in all the workshop. Used to drill small sized
holes. It is operated by holding in a hand. The workpiece where the hole is to be drilled is held in a
vice.

2. Sensitive Drilling Machine

These types of drilling machine used to drill small holes at high speeds in lighter jobs or workpieces.
The machine may be mounted on the bench or floor & the drilling work is started with the drill fed
into the workpiece by purely hand control.

Read also: 15 Different Types of Milling Machines [Full Guide]

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

Since the operator senses the cutting action at any instant it is called as the sensitive drilling
machine. These machines are capable of drilling small holes of diameter as small as 0.35 mm to 15
mm. These machines run at a higher speed as high as 2000 rpm.

3. Upright Drilling Machine

It is larger in size and stronger than sensitive drilling machine. It is used for drilling medium and
large-sized holes. Based on the type of column used it is classified as a round column and box
column upright drilling machines.

4. Radial Drilling Machine

The schematic diagram of the radial drilling machine is shown in the figure. It consists of the base,
column radial arm, drill head, spindle speed and feed mechanism.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

5. Gang Drilling Machine

This machine consists of the number of drill heads placed side by side so that more than one hole of
same or different sizes can be drilled at a time on the same job or on different jobs.

The space between drill spindles is varied to suit the gap between the holes. This type of machine
tool is used to drill a large number of holes in the same job at a faster rate.

The main advantage of this type of machine tool is that the series of operation can be performed
with different spindle. mounted with different tool bits on the same work piece by moving it from
one position to another position.

Read also: Lathe Machine: Parts, Types, Operations, Accessories, Attachments

6. Multi Spindle Drilling Machine

This machine tool is similar to a gang drilling machine in construction. It is used to drill the number of
hole in the same workpiece simultaneously and to reproduce the same work in a number of similar
jobs.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

7. Automatic Drilling Machine

This type of machines can perform a series of machining operations at successive units and transfer
the work from one unit to the other automatically.

Once the work is loaded at the first machine, the work will move from one machine to the other
where different operations can be performed and the finished work comes out from the last unit
without any manual handling.

This type of machine is intended purely for production purposes and may be used for milling, honing
and similar operations in addition to drilling and tapping.

8. Deep Hole Drilling Machine

This may be the either horizontal or vertical type of machine. In this drilling machine, the part to be
drilled is rotated and the drill bit that makes the hole is kept stationary. Deep hole drilling is done in
components like rifle barrels, crankshafts, long shafts etc.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

Drilling Machine Tools

Drill: A drill is a fluted cutting tool used to originated or enlarge a hole in a solid material. Drills are
manufactured in a wide variety of types and sizes.

Following are the different types of tools used in drilling machine:

1. Flat or spade drill tool

2. Straight fluted drill tool
3. Two-lip twist drill tool
a) Parallel shank (short series or ‘’ jobbers’’ twist drill)
b) A Parallel shank (stub series) twist drill
c) Parallel shank (long series) twist drill
d) A Parallel shank twist drill
2. Taper shank core drill (Three or four fluted)
3. Oil tube drill
4. Centre drill

1. Flat or Spade Drill

A flat drill is sometimes used when the same sized twist drill is not available. It is usually made from
a piece of round tool steel which is forged to shape and ground to size, then hardened and
tempered.

The cutting angle varies from 90 to 120 and the relief or clearance at the cutting edge is 3to 8. The
disadvantage of this type of drill is that each time the drill id ground the diameter is reduced.

Further, it cannot be relied upon to drill a true straight hole, since the point of the drill has a
tendency to run out of a centre.

Another difficulty of using this type of drill is that the chips do not come out from the hole
automatically, but tends to pack more or less tightly, if deep holes are to be drilled.

2. Straight Fluted Drill:

A straight-fluted drill has grooves or flutes running parallel to the drill axis. A straight-fluted drill may
be considered as a cutting tool having zero rakes.

This type of drill is inconvenient in standard practice as the chips do not come out from the hole
automatically. It is mainly used in drilling brass, copper or other softer materials.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

In drilling brass, the twist drill tends to advance faster than the rated feed and the drill digs into the
metal. No such difficulty occurs in the use of a straight fluted drill. When drilling sheet metal, the
straight fluted drill does not tend to lift the sheet as does the twist drill.

3. Twist Drill
This is the most common type of drill used today is the twist drill. It was originally manufactured by
twisting a flat piece of tool steel longitudinally for several revolutions, then grinding the diameter
and the point.

The present-day twist drills are made by machining two spiral flutes or grooves that run lengthwise
around the body of the drill.

The twist drill is an end cutting tool. Different types of twist drills are classified by Indian standard
Institution according to the type of the shank, length of the flute and overall length of the drill.

3.1 Parallel Shank (short series or ‘’jobbers’’ twist drill)

The drill has two helical flutes with a parallel shank of approximately the same diameter as the
cutting end. The diameter of the drill ranges from 02 to 16 mm increasing by 02 to 03 mm in lower
series to 025 mm in higher series. Fig 5.36 illustrates the drill.

3.2 Parallel Shank (stub series) twist drill

The drill is a shortened form of the parallel shank twist drill, the shortening being on the flute length.
The diameter of the drill ranges from 05 to 40 mm increasing by 03 mm in lower series to 025 to 05
mm in higher series. Fig. 5.37 illustrates the drill.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

3.3 Parallel Shank (long series) Twist Drill

The drill has two helical flutes with a parallel shank of approximately the shank diameter as the
cutting end, which however does not exceed the diameter at the drill point.

The overall length of the drill is the same as that of a taper shank twist drill of the corresponding
diameter. The diameter varies from 1-5 to 26mm increasing by 0-3mm in lower series to 0-25mm in
higher series.

3.4 Taper Shank Twist Drill

The drills have two helical flutes with a tapered shank for holding and driving the drill. The shank for
these drills conforms to Morse tapers.

The diameter ranges from 3 to 100mm. The diameter increases by 0-3mm in lowest series having
Morse taper shank No. 1, by 0-25mm in lowest series shank number 2 and 3, by 0-5mm in Morse
taper shank No. 4, and by 1mm in Morse taper shank number 5 and 6.

The use of Morse taper shank below 6mm size is not preferred. A drill gauge enables any drill to be
readily selected by gauge.

4. Taper Shank Core Drill (three or four fluted)

These drills are intended for enlarging cored, punched or drilled holes. These drills cannot originate a
hole in a solid material because the cutting edges do not extend to the centre of the drill.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

The metal is removed by a chamfered edge at the end of each flute. Cored drills produce better-
finished holes than those cut by ordinary two fluted drills.

The cutting action of a core drill is similar to that of a rose reamer and it is often used as a roughing
reamer. In some cases, a two fluted twist drill is chosen to originate a hole half the required size and
the rest is finished by a three or four fluted drills.

5. Oil Tube Drill

The oil tube drills are used for drilling deep holes. Oil tubes run lengthwise spirally through the body
to carry oil directly to the cutting edges.

Cutting fluid or compressed air is forced through the hoes to the cutting point of the drill to remove
the chips, cool the cutting edge and lubricate the machined surface.

6. Centre Drill

The centre drills are a straight shank, two fluted twist drills used when centre holes are drilled on the
ends of a shaft. They are made in finer sizes.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

Drilling Machine Operations

Following are the different types of operations performed on the drilling machine:

1. Drilling operation
2. Reaming operation
3. Boring operation
4. Counterboring operation
5. Countersinking operation
6. Spot facing operation
7. Tapping operation
8. Lapping operation
9. Grinding operation
10. Trepanning operation

1. Drilling
Drilling is the operation of producing a cylindrical hole by removing metal from the rotating edge of
a cutting tool called the drill.

The drilling is one of the simplest methods of producing a hole. Before drilling the centre of the hole
is located on the workpiece by drawing two lines at right angles to each other and then a centre
punch is used to produce an indentation at the centre.

The drill point is pressed at this centre point to produce the required hole. Drilling does not produce
an accurate hole in a workpiece and the hole location is not perfect.

The internal surface of the hole so generated by drilling becomes rough and the hole is always
slightly oversize than the drill used due to the vibration of the spindle and the drill. A 12mm drill may
produce a hole as much as 0-125mm oversize and a 22mm drill may produce one as much as 0-5mm
oversize.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

2. Reaming
Reaming is an accurate way of sizing and finishing a hole which has been previously drilled. In order
to finish a hole and to bring it to the accurate size, the hole is drilled slightly undersize.

The speed of the spindle is made half that of drilling and automatic feed may be employed. The tool
used for reaming is known as reamer which has multiple cutting edges.

Reamer cannot originate a hole. It simply follows the path which has been previously drilled and
removes a very small amount of metal. For this reason, a reamer cannot correct a hole location. The
material removed by this process is around 0-375mm and for accurate work, this should not exceed
0-125mm.

3. Boring

Boring is performed in a drilling machine for reasons stated below:

 To enlarge a hole by means of an adjustable cutting tool with only one cutting edge. This is
necessary where the suitable sized drill is not available or where the hole diameter is so
large that it cannot be ordinarily drilled.
 Used to finish a hole accurately and to bring it to the required size.
 To machine the internal surface of a hole already produced in casting.
 Used to correct out of roundness of the hole.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

 To correct the location of the hole as the boring tool follows an independent path with
respect to the hole.

The cutter is held in a boring bar which has a tapered shank to fit into the spindle socket. For perfect
finishing a hole, the job is drilled slightly undersize. In precision machines, the accuracy is as high as
+0.00125mm. It is a slow process than reaming and requires several passes of the toll.

4. Counterboring
Counterboring is the operation of enlarging the end of a hole cylindrically. The enlarged hole forms a
square shoulder with the original hole. This is necessary in some cases to accommodate the heads of
bolts, studs and pins.

A tool used for counterboring is called a counterbore. The counterbores are made with a straight or
tapered shank to fit in the drill spindle. The cutting edges may have straight or spiral teeth.

The tool is guided by a pilot which extends beyond the end of the cutting edges. The pilot fits into
the small-diameter hole running clearance and maintains the alignment of the tool.

These pilots may be interchanged for enlarging different sizes of holes. Counterboring can give an
accuracy of about +0.005mm. The cutting speed for counterboring is 25% less than that of drilling
operations.

5. Countersinking
Countersinking is the operation of making a cone-shaped enlargement of the end of a hole to
provide a recess for a flat head screw or countersunk rivet fitted into the hole.

The tool used for countersinking is called a countersink. Standard countersinks have 60, 82 or 90
inclined angle and the cutting edges of the tool are formed at the conical surface. The cutting speed
in countersinking is 25% less than that of drilling.

Read also: The Complete List of Milling Machine Operations

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

6. Spot facing
Spot facing is the operation of smoothing and squaring the surface around a hole for the seat for a
nut or the head of a screw. A counterbore or a special spot facing tool may be employed for this
purpose.

7. Tapping
It is the operation of cutting internal threads by means of a cutting tool called a tap. Tapping in a
drilling machine may be performed by hand or by machine.

A tap may be considered as a bolt with accurate threads cut on it. The threads act as cutting edges
which are hardened and ground. When the tap is screwed into the hole it removes metal and cuts
internal threads which will fit into external threads of the same size.

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 Drilling Machine & Types and Operations

8. Lapping
Lapping is the operation of sizing and finishing a small diameter hole already hardened by removing
a very small amount of material by using a lap. There are many kinds of lapping tools.

The copper head laps are commonly used. The lap fits in the hole and is moved up and down while it
revolves.

9. Grinding
Grinding operation may be performed in a drilling machine to finish a hardened hole. The grinding
wheel is made to revolve with the spindle and is fed up and down.

A suitable grinding wheel may be selected for surface grinding operation. Grinding can also be done
correctly out of roundness of the hole. The accuracy in grinding operation is quite high about
+0.0025mm.

10. Trepanning
Trepanning is the operation of producing a hole by removing metal along the circumference of a
hollow cutting tool.

This operation is performed for producing large holes. Fewer chips are removed and much of the
material is saved while the hole is produced.

The tool may be operated at higher speeds as the vibration in diameter of the tool is limited by the
narrow cutting edge. The tool resembles a hollow tube having cutting edges at one end and a solid
shank at the other to fit into the drill spindle. This is one of the efficient methods of producing a
hole.

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