Changing tooling in aerospace needs a clear reason and a controlled route in.
For example, the Aero-CARB 2 Flute Double Margin Diamond Coated Drill is designed for abrasive drilling applications - it gives aerospace teams a standard diamond-coated option to review for suitable CFRP, graphite and aluminium silicon alloy applications.
Diamond-coated tooling helps give the process more wear resistance, but the coating is only part of the decision. The drill geometry, material, machine setup, hole requirement and success criteria all need to be reviewed together.
That is where an application-led evaluation makes sense.
The current evaluation is built around the Aero-CARB 2 Flute Double Margin Diamond Coated Drill.
It has been developed for abrasive drilling applications where the process needs cleaner, more consistent holes and practical tool-life support.
Key features include:
The wider Aero-CARB range also includes 4 Flute Diamond Coated Drills, 2 Flute Double Margin Diamond Coated Drills, 10° Helix Diamond Coated Endmills, Roughing Endmills, Finishing Endmills and ballnose tools.
A good evaluation should focus on the result the process needs to hold.
That may include:
The aim is not to force a standard drill into every aerospace application. The aim is to understand whether this Aero-CARB route gives the right balance of wear resistance, hole quality and practical availability for the job.
Starting cutting data is available for selected Aero-CARB drilling applications across aluminium silicon alloys, multidirectional CFRP and graphite. This should be treated as a starting reference, with final parameters checked against the specific drill, material, machine setup and required outcome.
Material | Cutting Speed | Feed mm/rev | Drill Diameter 3 mm | Feed mm/rev | Drill Diameter 6 mm | Feed mm/rev | Drill Diameter 9 mm | Feed mm/rev | Drill Diameter 12 mm |
Aluminium 9% Si | 100–250 m/min | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.1 | 0.12 |
Aluminium 13% Si | 80–150 m/min | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.07 |
Aluminium 25% Si | 80–150 m/min | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.05 |
CFRP multidirectional | 50–150 m/min | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.08 |
Graphite | 60–600 m/min | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.08 | 0.12 |
For aluminium alloys, soluble oil coolant is recommended. For CFRP and graphite, air blast helps remove chips and dust while reducing heat build-up in the flutes. On hole exit in CFRP and graphite, reducing feed by 30% is recommended to help manage breakout.
We can help your team move from tooling review to a sensible next step.
The starting point is simple: share the material, hole size, machine setup and what your current tool is not giving you.
From there, Exactaform can help review:
This keeps the process practical. No overcomplication. No guessing from a catalogue. Just the information needed to decide whether the drill is worth evaluating properly.
Aero-CARB diamond-coated drills are most relevant where abrasive materials, hole quality and tool wear need to be reviewed together.
Typical applications may include:
For work involving slotting, profiling or contouring, another Aero-CARB tool may be more suitable. For high-volume repeat production, PCD may still be the stronger long-term route.
Aerospace teams do not need another catalogue answer.
They need a tooling route that makes sense for the material, the process and the production reality.
Exactaform supports customers across PCD, carbide, diamond-coated tooling and specials. That means we can help assess where Aero-CARB fits, where another drill geometry may be better, and where a different tooling route should be considered.
Aero-CARB gives you a standard diamond-coated drill to evaluate. Exactaform gives you the application judgement behind it.
Send us your material, hole size, machine setup and what your current drilling process is not giving you.
Like the sound of our tooling approach? Need answers to your biggest machining questions?
Our expert team are ready for your enquiry.