Flexible Mikron CrazyDrill Flex compensates for alignment errors

The geometry of the high grade carbide CrazyDrill Flex drills makes them both extremely flexible and accurate. These qualities are especially valuable when alignment errors occur in applications where highly productive sliding head lathes, multi-spindle machines and transfer machines are employed. Thanks to its flexible shank, the drills can compensate 40% of its diameter. Such flexibility, previously only available with HSS drills, avoids breakages. The geometry overcomes alignment errors quickly without cutting edge breakouts. An edge protection system on the flanks of the drill prevents the cutting edges from breaking while the drills' special tool tip geometry significantly reduces feed force to permit high drilling speeds with minimal heating. A novel flute geometry creates short chips that can be evacuated with ease. Three coolant channels in the drill shank assist swarf evacuation and optimise tool life machining performance. Manufacturer Mikron recommends using cutting fluid at a minimum pressure of 10 Bar. The CrazyDrill Flex is available in 20XD, 30XD and 50XD with a range of FlexPilot drills also available for drilling at 3XD with diameters from 0.1 to 1.2 mm in 0.01 mm increments. The CrazyDrill Flex is available in two coating types, the CrazyDrill Flex Steel and the Flex Titanium. The Flex Titanium has been developed for the drilling tough and long chipping materials such as copper and titanium alloys, whereas the Flex Steel is a more versatile drill that is capable of drilling alloy and non-alloy steels, cast iron, aluminium alloys and brass. CrazyDrill Flex 20XD drills are available in diameters from 0.1 to 1.2 mm with cutting lengths from 2 to 24 mm, while the 30XD drills are available in the same diameters but with 3 to 36 mm cutting depth and 40 to 70 mm overall lengths, depending upon drill diameter. Diameters of the 50XD drills range from 0.3 to 1.2 mm in 0.1 mm increments with drilling depths from 15 to 60 mm in 53 to 95 mm overall lengths.