Cobalt Alloy Bits – The Industry’s Most Heat Resistant Drill Bits
As you probably already realize, there are many different drill bits each with a specific usage. Some bits are designed for relatively soft materials, such as wood. Most bits you use are twist bits, a cylinder that has been cast or machined with grooves called flutes. Bits can also be coated with specialized materials such as carbon or ceramics. Other special drill bits are designed to penetrate the hardest materials known to mankind. Cobalt steel drill bits make holes possible in metals a bullet wouldn’t penetrate. In fact cobalt drill bits can be used to manufacture rifle parts.
Cobalt drill bits are actually made of steel. They get their name because the steel alloy contains more cobalt than usual – check out HSS drill bits to get additional details relating to this subject. A key characteristic they have is maintaining their cutting edge at extremes of heat. 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 when using a cobalt bit, a lubricant should be used to keep heat build-up down – head over to electrical training course for extra details linked with this subject matter.
The advantage of being able to drill through heavy metals is obvious, but be aware that not all cobalt drill bits are alike. The percentage of cobalt is different in specific varieties of these bits. The grades of cobalt bits are the M35, which has 5% cobalt, and the M42 with 8% cobalt. The M35 is preferred for uses where the bit will be heated beyond the norm, and the M42 used for longevity as it is less likely to be damaged.
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. To give you an idea of the durability and usefulness of the alloyed metal, it is also used in jet engines and prosthetic hip replacements. The cobalt in the steel alloy sets these bits apart from their high-speed steel brethren.
In industry cobalt drill bits are used to drill through hardened steel and other hard alloys like titanium. They will withstand temperatures are higher than thousand degrees Celsius without reducing effectiveness. 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.