Magnetic Drilling, Rock Drilling, and Diamond Drilling – Theory, Mechanisms, and Applications

Magnetic Drilling, Rock Drilling, and Diamond Drilling - Theory, Mechanisms, and Applications

Drilling is an inevitable process in the modern era. The basic definition of cutting or enlarging a hole of circular cross-section in solid material has been explored in a variety of industries and has served as a minefield of opportunities. With the proliferation of technology the power tools used for drilling have also advanced. There are several types of drilling which are usually categorized in the material to be drilled or the equipment being used to carry out the process. Some of these types include magnetic, rock, and diamond drilling which will be discussed in detail here.

Magnetic Drilling

Magnetic drilling is carried out using a magnetic drill. A magnetic or mag drill is essentially composed of four elements; a magnetic base, a drill stand, a motor, and a chuck or an arbor. The mag drills can be used with a wide variety of toolings like twist drills, taps, annular cutters reamers, and countersinks. The material base to be used is always supposed to be ferrous metal for the electromagnet to work properly. These are new technology machines that make for a faster substitute against the old technology machines used for making holes in meals like Drill Press, Mil Drill, and Radial armed drill press. The mechanism of a magnetic drill is such that the rotating edge of the drill exerts a large force on the workplace to generate a hole and the metal is removed using shearing and extrusion while drilling.

Applications

A magnetic drill can be easily positioned to drill vertical horizontally or in an upside-down manner. A portable mag drill with a core drill bit can drill holes above 12 mm diameter and give an accuracy of 0.01 to 0.00 in steel, stainless steel, and other materials. Other than being used in structured steel, mag drills are utilized while drilling truck frame rails, guard rails, steel signage, construction, and fabrication.

Rock Drilling

The process of rock drilling is all about power and speed. Solid rocks demand a lot of power and the repeated hammering at the work site demands high speed to get the work done. Drilling through rock can be quite challenging and the ordinary drills can fail epically in this zone. Rock drills are manufactured with materials like diamonds in them, equipped with adequate lubrication and cooling systems to limit the stress caused by drilling through hard and rough rocks. There are some subtypes of rock drilling like percussion, churn, diamond, and rotary drilling. Each has a unique take on dealing with drilling through rocks lie use of compressed air in percussive drilling, cutting the core in diamond drilling or hammering wavy chisel-like steel bit using a cable wire.

Applications

Some of the main applications of rock drilling include digging wells, preparing foundations, and mineral exploration. Different rock drills are designed for different applications and the personnel operating them have to undergo special training to ensure safety and desired results. Common diameters in the case of rock drilling can range anywhere from 200 to 440 mm.

Diamond Drilling

Diamond drilling can be extremely simple to understand. Diamond is the hardest material on earth and when incorporated into a drill bit it enables the user to drill through any material with ease, accuracy, and efficiency. Diamond drilling and sawing machines are comparatively lightweight and extremely flexible which helps to access and cut the materials in remote areas. Diamond drill bits are extremely time-efficient and cost-effective, hence being the prime choice of project managers. They can cut through any material or be used in a core drill without causing damage to the actual surface being drilled. This decreases the risks of cracks in concrete. The drill bit has a long life which furthers the cost-effective agenda and makes them fairly inexpensive. Diamond embedded sawing and drilling tools currently dominate the construction industry.

Applications

The drill bits used for diamond drilling are designed according to the user’s needs and can drill holes ranging from 8 to 15 mm and larger holes of desired depths can be achieved with the help of stitch drilling. It is used to drill into concrete for making openings with respect to the installation of pipes and electric wires. Diamond core drills are also used to examine the core of rocks and minerals in the mining industry.

Conclusion

These types of drilling techniques are unique in their own way and serve meaningful purposes in terms of drilling. Magnetic drills are mainly used on ferrous bases, rock drilling focuses on stones and such while diamond drilling is quite versatile and can be used to drill into concrete, glass, ores, and many other substances.