Successful Process Optimization in Drilling Aluminum Extruded Profiles
In the series production of aluminum extruded profiles, especially in the automotive industry, efficient and process-reliable machining is paramount.
Drill Caps Disrupted the Production Process
A customer in the industry faced a persistent problem for years: When drilling into the workpiece material EN AW-6060, so-called "drill caps" regularly formed at the bore exit—disturbing material adhesions that required additional manual rework.
Despite extensive testing with various drills and manufacturers, this issue could not be satisfactorily resolved. The workpiece material posed a particular challenge due to its toughness and long chips—the desire for fully automated machining without manual rework remained unfulfilled for a long time.
Test Runs with the ExBurrDrill Provided the Solution
By using the KEMPF ExBurrDrill in the size Ø 9 mm, a sustainable solution was ultimately found.
After consultation and a supervised test run by our application expert Thomas Welte, a convincing result was achieved:
- Spindle speed (n): 9,000 rpm
- Feed per revolution (f): 0.3 mm/rev
- Feed rate (Vf): 2,700 mm/min
The ExBurrDrill handled the machining reliably and left a clean surface at all bore exits—completely free of drill caps. This eliminates the previously necessary manual inspection and rework process entirely.
The customer was extremely satisfied with this solution and plans to switch additional dimensions to the KEMPF ExBurrDrill in the future. This process optimization significantly contributes to increased efficiency and cost reduction in production.
Conclusion
The KEMPF ExBurrDrill enables process-reliable and efficient machining of challenging workpiece materials such as EN AW-6060 – without subsequent rework. A significant contribution to automation and quality improvement in production.
Are you also facing challenges in drilling operations?
Contact us – our experts are happy to assist you in optimizing your manufacturing processes.