Around this fluted rod that is essentially the drill, circulates the coolant that keeps drilling temperatures below melting point for both the drill and the workpiece while the chips that are produced from the process flow outside the drilled hole.
Characteristics
Gun drill manufacturers pay special attention to the drill tip material as it is the point that receives the most severe fluid pressure. In order for this tip to have prolonged lifetimes and stay free of deformations, it is made out of strong metal alloys or even composite materials.
In order for a gun drill to deliver the required levels of drilling accuracy, everything has to work precisely as intended and the affecting factors must all be carefully calibrated. This suggests for extreme manufacturing quality and the cost is naturally the equivalent. The speed with which gun drill machines can cut through rigid metals such as steel can reach up to 75 cm per minute. This makes up for the increased cost as speed of processing dramatically increases.
Applications
Gun Barrels Making
The name of the gun drills derives from their main and most prominent use case that is the boring of gun barrels. Gun barrels were made using the metal casting technique before gun drills were made available showing much less durability and resistance to explosive forces.
The smoothness of the gun barrel's inner surface that only gun drills can achieve ensures that the projectiles will travel straight inside the barrel. The accuracy of the gun drills guarantees the homogeneous heating of the barrel, durability to explosive forces and long lifetimes. Before gun drilling machines were available, casting was used for the production of gun barrels.
Creating Molds
Another application that calls for the unique abilities of the gun drilling machines is the manufacturing of molds that are used for the production of heavy duty metal parts or large tools. The gun drill can help bore a deep hole through which the molten alloys can be inserted into the casting area.
Tool Manufacturing
Hardened tools made out of chromium and vanadium steel can only be successfully processed by high precision tools among which are gun drills. These are ideal for boring deep holes that can be used for the fitting of extensions and adapters. Usually, these are done in a polygonal shape to increase the torque friction.
Making Musical Instruments
Last, gun drilling machines are extensively used in the music instrument manufacturing industry and especially for wind instruments that require deep holes of small diameter. These instruments can be flutes, oboes, bassoons, saxophones, clarinets, trumpets, ocarinas and reeds. As most of these instruments are made out of brass and other soft metals, gun drill machines are required to work with precision and delicacy as the slightest deformation will result in wrong tonal performance.