ELE Technology
Capillary Drilling
Capillary Drilling is applied to drill small holes in hard, corrosion resistant materials.
Also known as Electro Steaming, Capillary Drilling is similar to STEM drilling in that both are a form of Electric Discharge Machining (EDM).
There is little tool wear associated with the process, no sparks are created and high metal removal rates are possible, with zero stresses being transferred to the part.
However, unlike STEM drilling, Capillary Drilling is used to create small holes rather than long, deep holes.
Hole diameters as small as 0.2mm/0.008” can be achieved, with depth to diameter ratio of 40:1 and multiple holes can be drilled simultaneously – typically up to 100 holes.
We use this technology to produce trailing edge cooling holes in turbines blades for the aerospace industry.
