The effect of starting hole geometry on borehole quality and tool life of twist drills

This paper reports about the relationship between starting hole geometry and twist drill performance, which is determined by the location error and diameter of the drilled borehole as well as the tool life of the employed twist drills. The experimental results lead towards the conclusion that the type of starting hole has a significant effect on borehole quality. This, however, is not as commonly assumed attributed to a variation in the location error of the different starting holes themselves, but to how a starting hole allows the subsequent twist drill to engage in the cutting process. Although twist drills that drill straight into the workpiece material achieved the longest tool life due to a gentle engagement, a deep starting hole ('pilot hole') results in the most satisfying overall twist drill performance. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.