The right drill bit for a particular application will make it easier for you to drill quality holes in your workpiece. Consider the drill bit’s toughness, heat resistance, and maintenance requirements when selecting your cutting tool. Discover the main types of drill bits used in industrial applications.
Titanium
Titanium drill bits are high-speed steel (HSS) bits coated with titanium nitride. They’re suitable for drilling iron, steel, aluminum, and magnesium.
Titanium nitride increases the bit’s surface hardness and reduces friction. The coating also increases production rates and improves the bit’s corrosion resistance.
While titanium nitride lengthens the working lifespan of a bit, once the tip is dulled, there will no longer be a titanium nitride coating on the tip. Most people prefer to use a new bit rather than recoat a dulled titanium bit.
Cobalt
Cobalt is another type of drill bit used in industrial applications. While titanium drill bits are coated with the namesake material, cobalt drill bits have cobalt mixed in throughout the bit. Typically, cobalt bits include 5 to 8 percent cobalt combined with steel or another alloy.
Cobalt bits can cut through hardened metals such as bronze, stainless steel, titanium, and cast iron. Cobalt drill bits can operate at higher speeds than standard HSS drill bits thanks, in part, to improved heat resistance.
Black Oxide
Black oxide drill bits are more basic than titanium and cobalt bits. To make a black oxide bit, the manufacturer heats an HSS bit to 950 degrees Fahrenheit to create a black oxide finish that resists rust and corrosion.
The black oxide finish reduces friction between the bit and the workpiece, increasing the bit’s lifespan by up to 50 percent more than that of standard HSS bits. Unlike other industrial-strength metalworking drill bits, black oxide bits are versatile enough to cut through wood like pine and maple, and metal such as copper and aluminum.
Carbide
Carbide drill bits are this list’s hardest and most brittle cutting tools. Made from tungsten carbide, these drill bits can cut through concrete, tile, cast iron, hard steel, and more. You can find carbide-tipped drill bits or full-body carbide bits.
Carbide drill bits retain sharpness longer than cobalt bits do. They also have a higher cutting speed and can withstand higher temperatures. And when a carbide bit wears down from use, you can sharpen it.
Cryogenically treated drill bits reduce wear and last longer without frequent sharpening. Additionally, cryogenically treated bits can drill twice as many holes as untreated bits before needing replacement.
You’ll find titanium, cobalt, black oxide, and carbide drill bits at Drill Bit Warehouse. Cryogenic processing makes our carbide drill bits for hardened steel exceptionally tough. Shop with us today for the superior cutting tools you need.
