Despite their name, boring mills are really not boring at all. In fact, every bit of these machines elicits excitement to the operator. They are primarily used to enlarge holes in different kinds of materials. Their key applications include the following:
Boring materials is not possible with other processes: heat-sensitive and non-ductile materials are some of those that are suited to thermal hole-making technology such as laser cutting. This is where boring mills are well suited for enlarging holes in those kinds of materials. While it’s not their intended use, the machine can also perform precision when drilling blind or partial holes.
Roughing or finishing interior surfaces: this is one of the main applications of boring mills. CNC machines are perfect to use for roughing or smoothing out internal surfaces of cut holes. This purpose is also done to recondition a workpiece by helping achieve the desired texture of the interior surface of the hole.
So, why exactly is a boring mill the choice for plenty of drilling operations? It is for many reasons. One being is the machine’s excellent ability to handle extremely large workpieces. Boring mills have a very large configurable envelope, making them capable of mounting and working on huge parts. They also help minimize tool deflection during a machining process in which a tool is experiencing resistance that it can’t handle well. It happens when a spindle extends too far away from the anchor which causes it to drill improperly as required if too much force is applied.
Finally, boring mills are very sturdy and reliable with proper maintenance. They can actually last for many years of constant use because of their extreme durability. The upfront cost of purchasing them might be quite high but the return on investment they provide is much higher, compensating the initial cost in the first few years.