No. 337: New equipment to make a 30 micrometer hole in stainless steel (October 27, 2011)

Equipment to make a hole 30 micrometers in diameter in stainless steel using a drill has been developed by Morikawa Co. in Chiba Prefecture. Established in 1980, the company is well known for precision work with delivery records of precision parts for accelerators and equipment for cancer treatment. Two methods exist for fine cutting of stainless steel: one uses a drill, and the other uses laser. The former allows for making a 30 micrometer hole, but burr is created because of inaccurate depth in cutting. The latter allows for an exact depth, but tiny cutting scraps melt by heat and adhere to the drill in making a hole less than 50 micrometers in diameter.

The company installed an ultrasonic generator around the drill that eliminates cutting scraps with the help of cutting oil. It confirmed that the equipment prevented cutting scraps from adhere to the drill almost completely. The achievement will expand the applications of the drill cutting method. In the fiber industry, fine threads a few micrometers in diameter are increasingly used to create original tactile impression and luster. Accordingly, weaving machines for this purpose need a part with a hole of an exact diameter to bundle threads. The company also plans to get orders for part processors of purification filters.