Cobalt Bits - Currently The Toughest Drill Part
Saturday, October 8th, 2011As you probably already realize, there are many different drill bits each with a specific usage. Strength is a big part of design differences, as drills are made specific to the hardness of material to be drilled through. Most bits you use are twist bits, a cylinder that has been cast or machined with grooves called flutes. Often, drill bits are coated with materials, including diamond powder and ceramics. Other special drill bits are designed to penetrate the hardest materials known to mankind. Cobalt drill bits are so tough that they can drill through metals, making holes that’s a rifle bullets couldn’t. As a matter of fact, cobalt drill bits can be used to make a gun barrel.
Cobalt drill bits are made from a steel alloy, and are a little different from standard high speed drill bits in that they contain more cobalt, hence the name - consult HSS drill bits for additional info relevant to this subject matter. They are designed to hold their sharpness even at high temperatures. Your average drill bits, when pushed through metallic sheets, quickly become blunted. The edges will literally soften due to the intense friction. The superior strength of these drill bits does have a counterbalancing weakness: they are more brittle or breakable. However there are ways of working around this. Even with these bits it’s a good idea to use lubricating fluid to reduce temperature build up - be sure to see electrical courses for extra info linked with this subject.
One thing you should be aware of is that cobalt bits differ in their strength. The percentage of cobalt is different in specific varieties of these bits. The lower percentage cobalt bits have greater heat resistance than the higher percentage ones, but the higher percentage bits have longer life.
Although cobalt produces a steel alloy that is much harder than the norm one great feature is that it does not change the magnetism. That means that if you drop your bit you can find it with a magnet as you would other bits. Alloyed steel is one of the wonders of modern science. It has applications that range from tank armor to spectacle frames to scalpels. The inclusion of cobalt in the steel composition is what gives these bits their distinctive and unique physical properties.
The creation of cobalt alloys makes it possible to drill through hardened metal, titanium, and cast iron. They can withstand heats up to 1,100 degrees and keep working where a lesser bit would soften and dull. The casting of the bits is done with a web design to increase the rigidity of the tool and to prevent snapping when going through abrasive materials.