Carbide drill for ceramic and glass machining
Rio Ito | OSG Corporation Product Development Engineer
The DIA-MXD is a carbide drill specifically engineered for machining ceramics and glass. Ceramics encompass a wide range of materials, and among them, fine ceramics—known for their high-performance mechanical properties—offer exceptional corrosion resistance, heat resistance, insulation, and dimensional stability. As semiconductor products continue to evolve toward higher performance and miniaturization, the capabilities of semiconductor manufacturing equipment must also advance. These systems frequently incorporate components made from fine ceramics and glass, making the tools used to machine these materials critically important. However, ceramics become extremely hard after sintering, which presents significant challenges in machining. Conventional tools designed for steel are not suitable. Selecting the appropriate tool specifications—such as diamond tools—is essential. For drilling applications, many users rely on carbide drills with diamond coatings or electroplated diamond tools. This article focuses on carbide drills with diamond coatings.
Challenges with Conventional Products
A common issue with diamond-coated tools is the sudden delamination of the coating layer during machining. This unpredictable failure makes it difficult to estimate tool life and results in significant variation in the number of holes that can be machined (figure 1). Consequently, users must replace tools more frequently, increasing tool consumption and cost, and extending overall machining time due to tool changes. To address these challenges, the DIA-MXD was developed with a focus on tool life stability and incorporates two key innovations.
Figure 1. Challenges in ceramic machining.
1. Carbide Substrate with High Adhesion and HDG Coating for Superior Wear Resistance
Diamond coatings offer excellent wear resistance and are highly effective for machining ceramics. The DIA-MXD features a newly developed HDG diamond coating optimized specifically for ceramic applications (figure 2). To prevent sudden delamination, a new carbide substrate was developed to enhance adhesion. The combination of this substrate and the HDG coating delivers superior bonding strength compared to conventional products. This suppresses delamination and extends tool life, allowing for more predictable tool replacement intervals.
Figure 2. HDG coating surface.
2. Geometry Optimized for Ceramic Machining
The DIA-MXD incorporates a geometry focused on rigidity, featuring a specialized negative rake angle that reduces edge chipping and minimizes coating delamination (figure 3). The drill also includes a thick core and low helix angle, enhancing durability when machining high-hardness ceramics.
Figure 3. Appearance of DIA-MXD.
Figure 4 illustrates an example of drilling silicon carbide (SiC) using a DIA-MXD diameter 1.2 mm tool. Despite the 4 mm hole depth and the high mechanical load typically associated with ceramic materials such as SiC, no sudden delamination occurred, and wear on the cutting edge remained stable throughout the process.
Figure 4. Cutting example in silicon carbide (SiC) using a 1.2 mm diameter drill at a hole depth of 4 mm.
This example demonstrates the DIA-MXD’s high durability and consistent performance, contributing to improved productivity. With longer and more predictable tool life, users can reduce tool replacement frequency and machine downtime, while also supporting automation and labor-saving initiatives (figure 5).
Figure 5. High productivity achieved with the DIA-MXD.
Conclusion
To meet the growing demand for ceramic machining, the DIA-MXD is available in a wide range of sizes, starting from 0.05 mm in diameter. While various tools are available for ceramic machining, diamond-coated carbide drills are the preferred choice for diameters under 0.2 mm due to their precision and cost efficiency. As industries continue to shift from metal materials to high-performance ceramics and resins, machining ceramics requires new knowledge and expertise. Even users with limited experience in ceramic machining are encouraged to try the DIA-MXD carbide drill to experience its superior performance firsthand.
For more information on OSG’s DIA-MXD carbide drill
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