When it comes to drilling, two factors often determine the success or failure of your operation: chip control and hole quality. At Fullerton, we believe these aren't just details - they're the foundation of high-performance drilling.
Let's break down what makes a difference in your day-to-day drilling results, and why the design of your drill matters more than you might expect.
What Is Chip Control - And Why Should You Care?
Chip control refers to how well a drill breaks and evacuates chips during cutting. Sounds simple, but poor chip management can spiral into a host of problems - slower cycle times, tool failure, even safety risks.
Here's why effective chip control should be non-negotiable:
- Higher Productivity: Clean chip evacuation allows you to run faster speeds and feeds without clogging.
- Better Heat Management: Short, broken chips remove heat from the cutting zone more efficiently, preserving tool life and reducing workpiece damage.
- Smooth Evacuation: Controlled chips are easily flushed out by coolant or carried away via flute design - no jamming, no drama.
- Reduced Tool Breakage: Poorly formed chips can wedge in the flutes, leading to overheating, galling, or catastrophic failure.
- Safer Operations: Long, stringy chips (aka "birds nests") are not only annoying - they're dangerous for operators.
Why Hole Quality Isn't Just About Looks
Hole quality goes far beyond making a part "look good." It's about precision, reliability, and reducing waste. Factors like diameter accuracy, concentricity, straightness, and surface finish directly affect how your part performs - and whether it passes inspection.
Here's what great hole quality delivers:
- Functional Integrity: A precision hole ensures proper fit and performance, especially in assemblies and mating parts.
- Less Rework and Scrap: Better holes mean fewer rejected parts and more consistent production.
- Confidence and Credibility: Clean, precise holes reflect well on your process - and help build trust with customers.
- Critical Reliability: In high-stakes industries like aerospace or medical, poor hole quality isn't just a defect - its a risk.
The Fullerton Approach
Behind every Fullerton drill is careful engineering - geometry, flute design, edge prep, coatings - all optimized to deliver efficient chip control and exceptional hole quality.
Need help dialing in your parameters for a specific material? Our sales and application support teams are here to walk you through speeds, feeds, and drill selection tailored to your job. Connect with our team through Live Chat on our website.
Whether you're looking to improve tool life, hit tighter tolerances, or just stop dealing with chip jams every other part, we're ready to help you make informed, confident drilling decisions.