The more cobalt the bit contains, the harder the metal it can drill through. But the tradeoff is that increasing the cobalt increases the drill bit’s brittleness. Be sure to use the appropriate drilling techniques to preserve your cutting tools.

The term “chips,” when used in the context of manufacturing, refers to excess material that’s created as a byproduct from a manufacturing machine or process. When performing a manufacturing process on a workpiece, chips are often created as a byproduct. Using a lathe to cut a metal workpiece, for instance, will create chips in the form of metal shavings. Even sanding a wooden workpiece will create chips in the form of sawdust. While metal shavings are obviously very different than sawdust, they are both considered chips because they are a byproduct of manufacturing processes.

Cobalt drill bits contain an alloy of five to eight percent cobalt. M35 bits contain approximately five percent cobalt, and M42 bits contain about eight percent cobalt.

These drill bits can be tungsten carbide tipped or full body. Carbide-tipped bits can drill through hard, non-metallic materials like masonry. If you want to drill hardened steel with tungsten carbide, use a full-body bit.

Unfortunately, chips don’t serve any real function or purpose — they are simply a byproduct of manufacturing processes. With that said, manufacturing companies can oftentimes recycle their chips rather than discarding them as waste. Metal chips, whether made of steel, aluminum, copper or any other metal, can be melted down for use in other manufacturing processes. Depending on how the chips were created, though, they may require decontamination beforehand. If metal chips are covered in lubricant or oil, they may be placed in a centrifuge where the contaminant liquid or liquids is separated from the metal.

There are three primary classifications of chips, as described by American engineer Dr. Norman Franz, who conducted several studies on chips in the manufacturing industry during the mid-1900s. According to Franz, most chips fall under one of the three following classifications:

If you’re looking for a tool to cut through hardened steel, check out the cobalt drill bit sets at Drill Bit Warehouse. Our premium M42 drill bits come in various lengths to suit your project needs. Shop with us today for high-performance drill bits.

Carbide is a compound composed of carbon and a metal. Carbide drill bits are tungsten carbide and can contain cobalt for enhanced durability. Carbide drill bits can handle higher temperatures than cobalt drill bits.

Hardened steel is medium- or high-carbon steel that has been given heat treatment, rapidly cooled and tempered. The high amount of carbon in the steel makes it possible to harden the metal.

There are even companies that purchase chips from manufacturing factories and machine shops. Known as scrap collectors, they typically sell their purchased chips to recycling companies. Using the services of a scrap collector allows manufacturing companies to recoup some of the money spent on their raw materials.

Cobalt drill bits are often the best for drilling into hardened steel. Whereas titanium drill bits only have titanium in the coating, cobalt bits have cobalt throughout. After cobalt drill bits get worn out over time, you can resharpen them.

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Also known as swarf, chips are a common byproduct of many manufacturing processes. Whether a manufacturing company is cutting, turning, knurling or sanding a workpiece, it will probably produce chips. But what are these chips exactly, and what purpose (if any) do they serve?

The titanium nitride coating has a dark gold appearance, improves wear resistance, and reduces friction. Since the titanium nitride is just a coating, once your drill bit wears down, you cannot resharpen it and maintain its performance level. The titanium layer will no longer be on the drill bit except in the fluting and perhaps on the sides.

Titanium drill bits are one option for drilling hardened steel. These drill bits are high-speed steel bits coated with titanium nitride. High-speed steel bits that consist of vanadium and tungsten can drill through soft steel, but they won’t cut through hardened steel.

Hardened steel is resistant to wear and high-impact pressure, making it a choice material for applications that require hard-wearing materials. These characteristics can also make it challenging to machine hardened steel. Read on to discover the best drill bits for drilling into hardened steel.