Polygonal Drive Drilling Tool for Reduced Feed Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow drilling methods require stationary drilling devices and high feed forces, making them inefficient for accessing poorly accessible workpieces and increasing setup effort, especially when dealing with coated materials or thin-walled workpieces.
Innovation Solution
A drilling tool with a polygonal cross-section driving section featuring a chip flute that initially prevents contact with the workpiece, allowing reduced feed force and optimized heat input, and a conical tip with cutting edges for chip removal, enabling flexible and efficient hole creation without complex setups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional flow drilling methods are used with stationary drilling devices, then material can be deformed to create holes, but the setup effort increases and accessibility to poorly accessible workpieces is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The drive section is divided into multiple polygonal sections with different cross-sectional shapes (square, hexagonal, octagonal) along its length. Each section can independently contact the workpiece, allowing the tool to function with reduced feed forces while maintaining effectiveness in hard-to-reach areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling tool is designed to be handheld rather than stationary, allowing dynamic positioning and operation in difficult-to-access areas. The tool can be manually guided while the polygonal sections automatically engage with the workpiece surface.
2Manufacturing precision
If high feed forces are applied in conventional flow drilling, then material deformation is achieved, but the requirements for feed force increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The drive section is divided into multiple polygonal sections with different cross-sectional shapes (square, hexagonal, octagonal) along its length. Each section can independently contact the workpiece, distributing the feed force across multiple contact points and reducing the total force required.
Solution Approach 2:
Different polygonal sections have different geometric properties optimized for specific functions: some sections are designed for initial contact and heat generation, while others are optimized for material deformation. This local optimization allows effective drilling with reduced overall feed force.
3Loss of substance
If chipless drilling is used to deform material, then no material is removed, but chip removal capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The drive section includes multiple polygonal sections that can function differently during drilling. Some sections are designed to remove chips while others deform material, allowing the tool to adapt between chipless drilling and chip removal modes based on the specific application requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling tool is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate in pure flow drilling mode (material deformation only), in hybrid mode (combination of deformation and chip removal), or in drilling mode with significant chip removal. The polygonal sections can be configured to provide different levels of material engagement.
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 tool achieves significant reduction in setup effort and feed force requirements, allowing for flexible use in poorly accessible areas, including thin-walled workpieces, with enhanced heat input and chip removal capabilities, suitable for both coated and uncoated materials.
Implementation Method 1
Flow drilling involves local heating of the workpiece. This heating is due to the friction between the flow drill and the workpiece.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The drilling tool has a retainer shank (12) that is received on a drive unit. A driving portion (20) is tapered in the direction of a workpiece-side end of a drilling tool (10). The driving portion is adapted in a partially shaped manner and machined to act on a workpiece. The driving portion is provided with polygonal cross-section at workpiece-side end. A cutting edge (34) is adjoined by a chip groove (36) and is extended into the convex protrusion of the polygonal cross-section.