High-Cobalt Drill Bits are cutting tools made from high-speed steel (HSS) with an increased cobalt content, typically 5% to 8% cobalt, designed for drilling hard, abrasive, and high-temperature metals.
Cobalt improves the heat resistance, hardness, and wear resistance of the drill bit, making it ideal for high-performance machining applications, including stainless steel, titanium, cast iron, and hardened alloys.
Material Composition: HSS with 5–8% cobalt (HSS-Co or M35/M42 grade)
Hardness: High hardness at elevated temperatures
Heat Resistance: Can withstand temperatures up to 600°C without losing cutting performance
Wear Resistance: Long-lasting performance on abrasive or tough metals
Toughness: Slightly less ductile than standard HSS, careful use on brittle materials is needed
| Advantage | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Drill Hard Metals | Excellent for stainless steel, titanium, and heat-treated steels |
| Heat Tolerance | Maintains cutting edge at high temperatures without softening |
| Longer Tool Life | Resistant to wear, reducing frequent tool changes |
| Consistent Performance | Retains sharpness, ensuring high-quality holes |
| Better for High-Feed Drilling | Supports higher cutting speeds compared to standard HSS |
High-Cobalt Drill Bits are widely used in:
Aerospace: Titanium engine components, airframe parts
Automotive: Stainless steel exhaust, engine parts, transmission components
Medical Devices: Surgical instruments, orthopedic implants
Oil & Gas: Hard alloy steel drilling components
General Industrial Manufacturing: Hardened steel and stainless steel components
Cutting Speed & Feed:
Use moderate to high speed; cobalt allows higher cutting temperatures than standard HSS.
Adjust feed rate to avoid excessive tool load.
Lubrication & Cooling:
Use cutting oil or coolant for stainless steel or titanium to extend tool life.
Drill Angle & Geometry:
Split-point or parabolic flute designs improve centering and chip evacuation.
118°–135° point angle is common for tough metals.
Avoid Overheating:
Despite cobalt’s heat resistance, excessive speed without coolant can still reduce lifespan.
M35 (HSS-Co 5%): Moderate cobalt content, good balance of toughness and hardness
M42 (HSS-Co 8%): Higher cobalt, better for extremely hard alloys and heat-resistant steels
High-Cobalt Drill Bits are HSS drill bits with 5–8% cobalt, engineered for drilling hard and heat-resistant metals, offering superior wear resistance, heat tolerance, and long-lasting performance in aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial applications.
Titanium alloy has low thermal conductivity. Therefore, during Titanium alloy machining, the cutting temperature is high. Under the same processing conditions, the cutting temperature of TC4 titanium alloy is far more than twice that of 45 steel.
