Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing is a highly intricate process that demands precision and attention to detail at every step. One critical component of PCB fabrication, often overlooked by the uninitiated, is the use of drill distance rings.
Our plastic collars, known as Drill Distance Rings, are designed to fit precisely onto the shank of drill bits, end-mills, and router bits. These rings are positioned in relation to the tool tip and can be set with micrometer precision for accurate distance setting.
Our tool rings are compatible with automatic tool change systems and LPKF "S" series machines, including the ProtoMat S62, ProtoMat 95s, and LPKF 101 Hi-P Automill systems.
To ensure your rings are set accurately, please provide us with your desired RING SET DISTANCE when ordering your drills. We will record your requirements and set follow-up orders to the same distance.
Our Drill/Mill bits are available with or without depth setting rings. There is no charge to add the rings, but when ordering it is important to specify the exact distance that you require the rings to be set.
Distance Rings can be placed on any of the drill bits we supply. If you require any specific ring colours on your tools then please contact our Sales department after placing your order.
If you order a customer distance or a specific colour we will try to keep this information on record, so that next time you order we can make up the order to your standard distance.
In use, because the shank-side of the ring is pressed against the collet of the milling or drilling machine when the tool is loaded, the tip of the bit will be at a specific distance form the machine collet. this ensures repeatability when inserting milling bits, especially useful when performing precise processes like Insulation routing (copper removal to create PCB tracks).
Using tool rings, the machine operator can lower the tool, confident that the depth of cut will be as required and repeatable, even when the tool is changed.
Tool Distance Rings are almost always used on machine with automatic tool changers, however many machine operators with manual machines prefer the convenience of the Drill distance Ring.
Tool Distance Rings can be a savior when using expensive tools (micro drills) where reference surface calibrate may damage or break the tip of the tool.
By pressing the shank-side of the depth set ring against the collet during tool loading, the distance (ring set distance) between the tip of the bit and the collet (or chuck) face can be determined. This knowledge enables the technician to confidently plunge the tool, ensuring that the depth of cut remains consistent even after multiple tool changes.
The depth set ring's placement guarantees sufficient insertion of the tool shank into the collet (or chuck), ensuring dependable centering and clamping. This effectively reduces the likelihood of the tools dislodging from the collet during intense cutting operations.
It is important to ensure that the ring is firmly pressed against the collet when it is applied to the face, as this action effectively minimises, or at the very least diminishes, the quantity of airborne swarf that becomes ensnared within the spindle bore. It is imperative to tighten the nut while maintaining a firm pressure on the ring against the collet or chuck face. The ring and collect should be maintained free of debris to ensure correct depth setting.
If depth setting rings are installed on all the tools featured in the tool magazine, an automatic tool changer can effortlessly load and unload tools, ensuring that the tip of each tool remains equidistant from the face of the collet. This specific distance is commonly known as the "Ring Set Distance".
The use of Depth Set Rings proves to be highly advantageous in the calibration process of micro-tools as they aid in determining the height by means of contact with a reference surface. In the absence of a Tool setting at a predetermined distance, there exists a potential hazard of causing harm or breakage to the tool tip.
