Using Precision Drilling Tools in Satellite Component Manufacturing

Satellite manufacturing isn’t for the faint hearted – not only does it require pinpoint level accuracy, but components need high-performance thermal stability to maintain integrity once they’re in space. Bottom line: you don’t go into satellite manufacturing unless your CNC machines and drilling tools are up to the job.

But with the right precision drilling tools at your disposal the sky’s the limit, and beyond as the case may be! High precision micro tools for the aerospace sector can deliver the ultra-tight tolerances and help maintain the structural integrity required for these demanding applications.

The Challenges Of Drilling High-Performance Materials

Satellites are typically built from lightweight materials such as titanium alloys, aluminium-lithium, Inconel, beryllium copper, carbon fibre-reinforced polymers and advanced composites. But these materials can be tough to machine for several reasons, especially when ultra-tight tolerances (±2–5 microns) are required.

Titanium, for example, has poor thermal conductivity, so heat builds up quickly at the cutting edge, accelerating tool wear. It also tends to work harden, increasing cutting resistance as drilling progresses. Plus, it’s highly reactive and causes drill material to adhere to the surface reducing cutting efficiency. All this contributes to rapid tool degradation and makes it extremely difficult to maintain precision over long runs.

Aluminium is similar – prized for being lightweight but burr formation is common, and hole quality can be distorted while advanced composites can cause rapid wear because of their abrasive layers.

How Precision Drilling Tools Can Help

Precision drilling tools are specifically engineered to overcome the extreme challenges of machining difficult materials like titanium or advanced composites, especially at the tight tolerances and micro scales required in the aerospace and satellite manufacturing industries. Here’s why:

1. Ultra fine grade carbide for strength and edge retention – Micro tools made from ultra-fine, or nano-grade carbide offer exceptional hardness and wear resistance which helps maintain sharpness and delays tool degradation even at small diameters.
2. Optimised geometries to manage heat and chip flow - Micro drills and end mills feature specialised geometries such as polished flutes, reduced point angles, and modified cutting edges which reduce friction and heat build-up, minimise burr formation and improve chip evacuation.
3. High-precision coatings for thermal and abrasive protection – Many micro tools are coated with DLC, diamond-like carbon or TiAlN which lower friction to reduce heat, increase hardness to resist wear from fibres or resins and offer chemical stability to prevent adhesion.
4. Tool rigidity and short overhangs to prevent deflection – At micro levels deflection increasingly becomes a problem with even the smallest deflection creating misshapen holes. Micro tools are often designed with rigid shanks and short overhangs to maintain stability, especially at high spindle speeds or during deep-hole applications.
5. Tight tolerance manufacturing – Precision micro tools themselves are produced with tolerances down to a few microns, ensuring that the tool geometry is consistent and that they deliver repeatable, high-precision results.

Precision tools are not just scaled-down versions of standard tools, they’re highly engineered solutions designed to meet the exacting demands of precision space and aerospace component engineering​ when working with some of the most challenging materials on earth.

As a specialist tooling partner Rainford Precision can advise on geometry, coating, and cutting strategies for complex micro-machining applications.

Achieve unparalleled precision in satellite component manufacturing. Contact Rainford Precision today to discover our advanced micro-drilling solutions tailored for the aerospace industry!