High-precision microdrills for process secure deep hole drilling

Press release: July 2021

WTX-Micro: New micro deep hole twist drill for depths up to 30xD

Drilling ultra-small bore diameters with low tolerances is unthinkable without high-precision tools – especially at depths over 20xD. With the new WTX-Micro drills, the CERATIZIT Group’s Team Cutting Tools has developed the ideal solution from diameters of 0.8 mm for drilling deep holes with outstanding surface quality. And, thanks to the helicoidal through coolant system, only the price is hot!

Drilling diameters this small can only be efficiently achieved if all process components are exactly tailored to one another: Will machinists have to contend with long or short chips with the material they want to machine? Is the coolant pressure sufficient to supply the drill’s narrow coolant holes? Is the coolant sufficiently filtered and free from suspended and fine particles that could clog the coolant holes? “These are just some of the questions that our customers need to consider first if they want to get the most out of their micro drilling process. Then, whenever they need to tackle deep hole dimensions, expert knowledge is essential,” stresses Felix Meggle, Product Manager Drilling Tools at CERATIZIT.

Micro specialists for universal use

Although it may sound like a contradiction, the WTX-Micro from the WNT Performance range – the new drill range from the CERATIZIT group’s Team Cutting Tools – is a specialist micro- and deep-hole drill that at the same time can be used universally. After all, in the words of Felix Meggle, “when it comes to materials, this drill is anything but picky: whether it’s steels, cast iron materials or heat-resistant materials and their alloys, our WTX-Micro is ready for anything!” This means it can be used in a variety of applications in a wide range of sectors.

Since the specifications in micro-machining are mainly defined by low tolerances and, above all, absolute process security, the WTX-Micro has been optimally streamlined for use in this area. The ultra-fine-grained carbide used, which was developed and produced by CERATIZIT, the chip space geometry, ultra-smooth surfaces and the coating are precisely tailored to one another, ensuring the highest level of quality.

One of the cool type

The WTX-Micro drill’s helicoidal internal channels are optimised to ensure the maximum flow of coolant, which results in an improved surface quality for the holes. This is partly ensured by a power chamber, which is integrated along the entire length of the shaft in micro-drills of 5xD and above. “This increases the amount of coolant at the drill tip while maintaining the same pressure, which also increases the tool life,” explains Felix Meggle.

The WTX-Micro is available from a diameter of 0.8 mm in the lengths 5xD, 8xD, 12xD, 16xD and 20xD. From 1.0 mm to 2.90 mm, they are also available in 25xD and 30xD. Here, the optimised geometry with lapped surfaces and patented chip space openings, as well as the special micro drill point thinning ensure high cutting and process stability.

Innovative Dragonskin DPX74-M coating

To make the tools even more resistant to wear and heat exposure, WTX-Micro drills are finished with the innovative DPX74-M coating. For variants from 8xD to 30xD, only the highly stressed drill head is coated; the 5xD variant, however, is coated with the robust Dragonskin DPX74-M coating along its entire length.

No flying blind, with or without a pilot

When drilling deep holes, a pilot hole is often needed. “That’s why our WTX-Micro range includes a 5xD variant to ensure the drill hole is optimally prepared. However, these tools are particularly impressive thanks to their outstanding self-centring, so, for vertical machining from a diameter of 1.0 mm up to a length of 12xD, there is really no need for pilot holes,” says Felix Meggle. Of course, the tool surface needs to be level and straight for this to apply.

CERATIZIT customers do not compromise when it comes to quality and service. Felix Meggle sums up as follows: “Micro-drilling is not something you quickly rush through now and again. There are countless parameters to observe to achieve a successful result. We are, of course, on hand to provide advice and assistance with our expertise and optimised tools that deliver exceptional value for money as well as strong performance!”