Drills for Long Oil Holes: A Good Potential for Recycle

Recycle, Reuse, Repair is an established process for sustainability. There are many ways in which cutting tools can be recycled. Be it by reshaping a used up throwaway type tool [1] or by redesigning a tool holder for the use of unused cutting edges [2]. This paper explores the possibility of reuse of HSS drills that are used for making long oil holes in automobile parts like crankcase (cylinder block), cylinder head, crankshaft, etc. Design/manufacture of such drills is peculiar by virtue of their size and length and are also known as thick web high helix drills. Making of oil holes entails use of drills that are 500 to 600 mm long depending on the size of the component. In most of the long oil hole drilling operations, a limited portion of the drill is useable. This is because there is a possibility of fouling of the holding elements with guiding element, or with the part being drilled and the chance of accidental damage to part or machine. These short length drills (for the original use) have full potential for reuse in areas where the reduced length can suit the application. Two case studies will show that buying of new drills could be averted by re using these short length drills that were of no use for the original application. Since the drills are tailor made for a particular application, such short length drills have no further use and get sold as scrap! The amount thus recovered is a small fraction of the original value.