Adaptive Coolant Channel Drill for Chip Flute Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chip jamming occurs during drilling of difficult-to-machine materials like Titanium alloys, where machined chips get stuck in chip flutes, blocking coolant flow and potentially damaging the drill and impairing hole quality.
Innovation Solution
A drill design featuring a coolant chamber with a flow control element that moves from a neutral to an active position in response to pressure differences between coolant channels, redirecting coolant flow to clear jammed chips from chip flutes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If coolant flow is distributed equally to both chip flutes, then both chip flutes receive adequate cooling, but chip jamming cannot be addressed when it occurs in one specific flute
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control element transforms the static, equal coolant distribution system into a dynamic system that can adaptively redirect coolant flow. When chip jamming occurs in one chip flute, the increased pressure activates the flow control element, which automatically redirects coolant flow to the affected flute, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining equal distribution and responding to specific jamming conditions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If chip jamming is allowed to occur, then drilling difficult materials is possible, but chip evacuation is blocked and drill damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the coolant pressure in each chip flute serves as a signal about the evacuation status. When chips jam in a flute, the pressure increases, providing feedback that triggers the flow control element to redirect coolant to that flute. This feedback loop continuously monitors and responds to chip evacuation conditions, preventing jamming from progressing to drill damage.
3Productivity
If coolant pressure is increased to flush chips, then chip evacuation improves, but excessive pressure may damage the drill or workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing coolant pressure system-wide, the flow control element enables localized pressure increase only in the specific coolant channel and chip flute where jamming occurs. This local quality approach concentrates the flushing action exactly where needed, improving chip evacuation efficiency while avoiding excessive pressure elsewhere that could damage the drill or workpiece.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively alleviates chip jamming by increasing coolant pressure in affected chip flutes, flushing away jammed chips and maintaining uninterrupted coolant flow and chip evacuation.
Implementation Method 1
the flow control element is arranged to move from said neutral position to said active position in response to a flow restriction in one of the chip flutes
Data Source
AI summary
A drill includes a front and rear end, a shaft extending axially rearwardly from the front end, at least one cutting insert releasably mounted at the front end, a first and second chip flute in an envelope surface of the shaft, a coolant chamber inside a shank, and a first and second coolant channel extending from the front end of the coolant chamber and terminating at the drill front end. The first coolant channel is associated with the first chip flute and the second coolant channel is associated with the second chip flute. The coolant chamber includes a flow control element movable in response to a flow restriction between a neutral position, in which coolant flow is distributed substantially equally to the first and second coolant channels, and an active position, in which the flow control element directs the coolant flow at least mainly to one of the coolant channels.