Custom CNC Deep Hole Drilling Services
Deep hole drilling, originally called Gun Drilling, could be defined as a hole whose diameter is much smaller than its depth or length. Similar to that of an actual gun barrel on a firearm.
Depth-to-diameter ratio is 10:1 or greater. Precise and accurate deep vacuum channels and holes, precise cooling channels and holes, holes for gas and liquid are essential in many of today’s key semiconductors, Aerospace, defense, and medical applications.
Valley Design’s custom CNC deep hole drilling service offers a solution to some of the most difficult machining requirements. Accurate and precise holes, slots, channels, pockets, and slits can be CNC machined in a variety of materials not limited to metals.
Materials for CNC Machining and Deep Hole Drilling:
- Ceramics
- 99.6% Alumina
- 96% Alumina
- Aluminum Nitride (AlN)
- Glass
- Fused Silica
- Quartz
- Sapphire
- Crystals
- Silicon
- Macor
- Plastics
- Metal Alloys
- Geranium
- Filter Glass
- A1ON
- Ferntec
- Metal Alloys
- Aluminum
Material Challenges and Solutions in CNC Deep Hole Drilling
Having nearly 50 years knowledge of material machinability characteristics, Valley Design can custom CNC machine accurate, repeatable deep holes with smooth surfaces, void of chips.
Key Parameters Include:
- High Pressure Coolant
- Coolant Selection
- Critical Chip Evacuation
- Tool Selection
- Tool Bond Type
- Tool Wear
- Tool Run Out
- Tool Flex
- Spindle Speed (RPM)
- Cut Rate
- Feed Rate
- Fixturing
- Stability
Valley Design custom drills millions of precision CNC holes worldwide utilizing
- 3 Axis CNC Mills
- 4 Axis CNC Mills
- 5 Axis CNC Mills
Products and Components include:
- Electrostatic Chucks (ESD)
- 150mm diameter
- 200mm diameter
- 300mm diameter
- 450mm diameter
- ION Implant Components
- End Effectors
- Etch Equipment Components
- Etch Rings
- Deposition Rings
- Thermal Processing insulators
- Vacuum Chucks
- Wafer Carriers
- Power Transfer Bases
- Isolators
Precision Hole Drilling of Substrates and Windows
Valley Design has perfected the art of hole drilling in hard, brittle materials such as Glass, Ceramics, and Sapphire. Conventional drilling does not work on these materials. We have replaced traditional ultrasonic drilling technology with improved CNC hole drilling capabilities on hard, brittle non-metallic materials. This precision hole drilling service produces stress-free holes which are devoid of microscopic cracks or fissures. Valley provides glass hole drilling, ceramic hole drilling and sapphire hole drilling, as well as small diameter CNC coring on these and many other materials.
Precision Deep Hole Drilling Services
Traditional hole drilling techniques such as rotary ultrasonic drilling services have been supplanted by new, proprietary techniques developed over the last several years at Valley Design. The resultant hole quality is superior to that generated with other methods such as Rotary Ultrasonic Drilling or Laser Drilling. When precision hole drilling brittle and hard materials such as glass or ceramics, they will often overheat and fracture due to stresses associated with ordinary rotational ultrasonic drilling or laser cutting methods. Substrates, windows and wafers of all types may be CNC drilled including glass, ceramics, quartz, 96% and 99.6% Alumina, and Aluminum Nitride.
The smooth, controlled cutting action of CNC diamond drills plus a water coolant reduces diamond tool binding. This enables faster, more efficient cutting using lighter tool pressure than with conventional machining. The lighter tool pressure simplifies drilling small diameter holes, long and deep holes, and adjacent holes close together all producing superior results. Less friction also reduces the stress imposed on the material caused by conventional ultrasonic diamond tool machining.
Rotary Ultrasonic drilling technology is based on the mechanism of micro-chipping of the hard, brittle material. There may be residual micro-cracking in the material as a result. Laser holes have their place in the landscape of hole drilling technologies. Parts with laser holes may have Heat Affected Zones (HAZ) around the generated holes. These Heat Affected Zones (HAZ) are areas next to the heat source which may change the properties of the laser material – sometimes in small ways, and occasionally it may have a greater impact. For example, Aluminum Nitride ceramics at thicknesses above .025” exhibit some significant visual burning of the material that results from the heat of the laser drilling process and the thermal conductivity of the material. Laser drilling also involves some taper of the holes.
Laser Hole Drilling Services
Valley Design does offer laser hole drilling options when appropriate as Laser Drilling does have certain advantages. Laser Drilling can be accomplished with both high speed and accuracy. Other advantages of laser drilling relate to the ability to drill large aspect ratio holes (Depth to Diameter ratio).
Superior CNC Hole Drilling Technique
For the highest quality holes, Valley Design has developed a superior CNC hole drilling technique. This new method has enabled us to achieve unprecedented, nearly chip-free, straight, bore holes in the various hard, brittle materials we machine. The new method produces no Heat Affected Zones (HAZ), no taper, and are nearly chip-free. Valley provides glass drilling services and ceramic drilling, as well as hole and core drilling on a wide variety of other materials including, fused quartz and fused silica, sapphire, 96% and 99.6% Aluminas, Aluminum Nitride, Silicon Carbide, Macor, Stainless steel, Aluminum and metal alloys, and many others.
Other CNC precision hole drilling services are also available from Valley Design including conventional diamond drilling and diamond core drilling.
Capabilities in CNC Hole Drilling:
- CNC diamond drilling of hole diameters from .0255″ – .500″
- Hole placement tolerance ± .001”, repeatability + .0002”
- Chips = under ______” for most materials.
- Depths = depending on material, spacing, and other features; but 1” or greater is possible.
- Hard and brittle materials such as Sapphire, Glass, Fused Silica, Quartz, Silicon, Ceramics, AlN, 96% and 99.6% Alumina and others can be precision drilled, lapped, polished and shaped.
Contact us for CNC Machining and Hole Drilling Needs
You can rely on Valley Design’s extensive machining expertise to fulfill even your most demanding requirements. Come to Valley Design for all your custom CNC machining and hole drilling needs.
Call or email to submit your drawings and specifications, and we will be happy to evaluate.