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 performance data and process data that helps our customers run a faster, smarter, and more competitive operation. 

Machining has always been about precision and quality, but as the industry grows and innovates the need for predictability and repeatability also does. An aerospace manufacturer wants to know that every hole drilled in CFRP-titanium stacks will meet tolerance on the first attempt. An automotive OEM wants to track exactly how many parts a PCD reamer can produce before it needs retipping. Instead of relying on trial-and-error, data allows: 

• Clarity: evidence of what works and why. 
• Confidence: knowing when tools will need retipping or replacement. 
• Control: the ability to optimise cycle times and costs per component. 

This is why we have invested in the systems and processes that make tooling data actionable and why we track it across three main categories: performance, tool condition, and process. 

Performance Data: Measurable Results in the Cut 

Performance data is the most visible and most immediate measure of value. This looks different across applications; therefore, our experts analyse the current set-up to understand what the customer needs most and then find the best way to optimise the tool and process to achieve that outcome. 

At Exactaform, we help manufacturers measure and improve: 

• Hole quality: clean, burr-free, and delamination-free holes in CFRP and stacks. 
• Dimensional accuracy: tight tolerances on diameter, roundness, and surface finish. 
• Repeatability: consistent results across thousands of cycles. 
• Cost per part: the true metric of efficiency. 

Tool Condition Data: Predictability at the Edge 

The second level of insight is the health of the tool itself. Cutting edges wear differently depending on material, coolant strategy, and machine setup. If you can’t track wear, you can’t predict performance. 

By monitoring tool condition data, we can: 

• Pinpoint the point of optimal tool life. 
• Identify wear patterns on PCD and carbide cutting edges. 
• Predict the right moment for retipping, extending life and reducing waste. 
• Prevent unexpected tool failure that risks scrapping expensive parts. 

This makes planning far more reliable. Instead of reactive tool changes, you can schedule retips and replacements into the maintenance cycle, maximising both uptime and return on investment. 

Process Data: Insights from the Machine 

The final and often most overlooked piece of the puzzle is process data. Beyond the tool itself, the machine environment provides invaluable signals about stability and efficiency. 

We track: 

• Spindle load and cutting forces: early warnings of tool wear or misalignment. 
• Temperature and vibration: critical for composite and stack drilling, where heat or chatter can destroy hole quality. 
• Tool usage data: number of holes drilled, cubic centimetres of material removed, or cycle times logged. 
• Swarf evacuation: how effectively chips are cleared from the cut, which directly impacts heat build-up, tool wear, and the ability to maintain tolerance over longer runs.

This data helps our engineers fine-tune feeds, speeds, and coolant strategies. In automotive production, even a 2–3% gain in cycle efficiency translates into significant annual savings across high-volume output. 

How Exactaform Leads in Data-Driven Tooling 

Our expertise in precision PCD technology, combined with decades of working alongside aerospace and automotive leaders, means we understand both the tooling and the process. 

• Trusted performance in critical aerospace applications. 
• Custom tool design optimised for one-shot drilling and machining efficiency. 
• Support services like retipping, ensuring tools keep their value over time. 
• Process knowledge that turns cutting data into cost savings. 

Want to know more about how Exactaform tools deliver measurable data and long-term value? Get in touch with our team to discuss how we can help you turn your tooling data into competitive advantage.