Drilling & Tapping Essentials: How It Works, Machine Types & More

Posted Date : 18 Feb 2025

Drilling and tapping are fundamental manufacturing processes used in a wide range of industries—from automotive and aerospace to construction and consumer goods. Understanding how they work, the different machine types, and their specific uses can help you optimize your production line, enhance part quality, and reduce operational costs. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about drilling and tapping.

Drilling Tapping Rotary Table machine

1. How Does It Work?

Drilling Basics

Purpose: Drilling involves creating holes in a material—often metals, plastics, or composite materials—by using a rotating cutting tool called a drill bit.
Process: The drill bit is aligned with the workpiece surface and rotated at high speed. Material is removed in the form of chips (also known as swarf).
Key Elements:
- Cutting speed (rotational speed of the bit)
- Feed rate (depth penetration speed)
- Coolant/lubricant (to reduce heat and friction)

Tapping Basics

Purpose: Tapping involves creating internal threads inside a pre-drilled hole, allowing the insertion of bolts or screws.
Process: A tap (threading tool) is rotated into the hole, cutting threads into the material’s sides.
Key Elements:
- Tap design (spiral, straight-flute, etc.)
- Lubrication (to maintain thread integrity and reduce tap wear)
- Depth control (ensuring consistent thread depth)

By combining drilling and tapping in a coordinated manner, manufacturers can efficiently create threaded holes ready for fastening—ideal for assembly operations in numerous industries.

Drilling Tapping machine