1.Different cutting principles
Drilling is the process of removing material from the center of the material through the rotational motion of the drill bit and the axial feed motion, forming a circular hole. The central part of the drill bit is sharp, and due to the sharpness of the drill bit, the cutting ability of the edge is relatively strong in the case of cutting angles, making it easy to drill through materials.
Milling holes is the process of cutting off a portion of the material through the rotation and movement of a milling cutter, forming holes. The central part of the milling cutter is flat, and the edge, due to its cutting angle, can continuously cut the material and obtain the desired hole while the tool rotates and moves.
2.Different machining accuracy
The accuracy of milling holes is usually higher than that of drilling holes. Milling machines are designed for high speed and precision, while drilling machines have lower accuracy than milling machines. The milling machine has a worktable below the head that can position the workpiece in the x and y directions, while the drilling machine does not have a worktable below the head.
3.Different scope of application
Drilling is mainly used to form precise and clean holes in materials such as metal or wood, suitable for forming holes of different shapes and sizes, requiring high accuracy, shallow depth, and small aperture in material processing.
And milling holes creates precision machined surfaces, including flat, contour, and spiral surfaces, suitable for various purposes such as thread and gear cutting, manufacturing complex parts or products, from simple grooves to complex automotive engine components. Especially when it is necessary to process deep holes, wide and shallow holes, milling holes is more excellent.
4.Different processing speed
Under the same conditions, the machining speed of milling holes is slower than that of drilling holes. This is because the cutting range of the material by the milling cutter is relatively large during the cutting process, and the milling cutter requires more power and energy to complete the task during the machining process. Drilling, because it uses rotation for cutting, has a faster processing speed than milling.
5.Different tools required
Drilling operations can be carried out using a hand drill or drilling machine, while milling holes can only be completed using a milling machine. Drill bit is a cylindrical rotating end cutting tool, while milling cutter refers to a multi blade tool with a rotating body shape, and its cutting teeth are arranged on the circumference or end face, or both.
In summary, although both drilling and milling can be processed using machining centers, there are significant differences in their cutting principles, accuracy, application, and processing speed. When processing materials, different processing methods should be selected according to the needs.
