Articles by Maria Simeonova

• Aero-CARB
• CFRP
• Drilling

Better Drilling: The Hidden Cost of Tool Wear in CFRP Drilling

The hidden cost of tool wear in CFRP drilling is the tool changes, extra inspection, rework and rejected parts a worn edge creates before it ever breaks. Managing it means setting a safe tool-change point based on acceptable holes, not on tool failure.

• Aero-CARB
• CFRP
• Drilling

Better Drilling: Aero-CARB Diamond-Coated Drill - A Deep-Dive Q&A

In the final part of the Better Drilling series, Exactaform Product Manager Neil McKinnell explains why the drill was brought forward, how its design protects hole quality and what manufacturers should establish before trialling it.

• CFRP
• Drilling
• Aero-CARB

Better Drilling: How to Prevent CFRP Drilling Delamination

What to review first when CFRP drilling causes delamination: drill point geometry, cutting data, chip evacuation and tool wear, plus the tooling that prevents it.

• Events
• WIDIA

Opening The Doors: Exactaform & WIDIA Open Day

Exactaform opened its doors to give manufacturers a closer look at the people and processes behind the Exacaform and WIDIA partnership as part of the European WIDIA Bus Tour.

• Carbide

How to Reduce Global Carbide Tooling Costs Without Increasing Process Risk

This guide brings together Exactaform’s technical knowledge, our experience supporting customers across high-value manufacturing, and the practical steps we look at when carbide cost, wear, availability or repeatability become harder to manage.

• Carbide

Why Carbide Tooling Costs Are Becoming Harder to Predict

For decades, carbide tooling costs have been relatively stable. Naturally, prices have increased over time, but usually through predictable annual or inflationary rises that manufacturers and suppliers could plan around.

Using WIDIA Carbide Tooling for Stable, Repeatable Machining

In order to address production challenges and to bring the most appropriate solutions to our customers, we have chosen to partner with WIDIA to supply high-precision carbide cutting tools, supported by our engineering-led application expertise.

• ExactaMill
• Exactaform USA

Exactaform USA Launches ExactaMill XE13 and XE22 Series

Peter Raynor, President of Exactaform USA: “This launch represents more than just a new product; it’s a commitment to our customers in America. By having these tools readily available, we ensure that manufacturers get exactly what they need, exactly when they need it.”

How Performance Data and Process Data Optimise Machining Efficiency

At Exactaform, we’ve built our approach around the principle of turning tooling into measurable value. Or, as our Operations Director Ricki Nagra puts it: “Data drives decisions.” Every tool we design and every process we optimise is backed by data that helps our customers run a faster, smarter, and more competitive operation.

Countersink Drilling: Aerospace and Automotive Manufacturing

As materials, assembly processes, and quality standards evolve across aerospace and automotive sectors, the expectations placed on countersink drilling have changed dramatically. Countersinking has become a high-precision, high-impact operation that plays a critical role in structural integrity, performance, and manufacturing efficiency.

5 Benefits of Drill Reamers

Although combination tools like drill reamers provide convenience, their true value is efficiency. Instead of using two separate tools in two separate passes, a drill reamer performs both actions in one motion with one setup, one toolholder, and one toolpath.

International Women in Engineering Day at Exactaform

Women in engineering are helping to shape manufacturing at Exactaform — from management, through inspection to operations, their skills and ambition are powering precision.

• Cutting

Exactaform Tooling Drives Small Engine Manufacturing

The United States is a global leader in engine manufacturing, with the small engine segment expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% through 2030 (Grand View Research, 2024).

Optimising Drilling in Composites

Drilling in composites requires a high understanding of tool mechanics, material properties, and process control.

My journey as an Exactaform intern: Apelles Mumbi

As Apelles Mumbi finishes her placement year in Exacaform and returns to Coventry University

Industries Using Carbide Cutting Tools: Where Performance Matters Most

Industries using carbide cutting tools span some of the most demanding manufacturing environments in the world. Wherever materials are hard, tolerances are tight, or production speeds are high, carbide tooling plays a critical role in achieving reliable, repeatable results.