Automation of centered micro hole drilling using a magnetically levitated table

This paper presents the automation of centered micro hole drilling, using a magnetically levitated table. Centered micro hole drilling, an example of which is nozzle outlet hole drilling, has previously been performed manually by skilled craftsmen. If a micro hole is drilled when the center line of the drill and the center line of the guide hole are not aligned, the misalignment may cause drill breakage. By using a magnetically levitated table, a workpiece can be aligned frictionlessly. When the horizontal support stiffness of the table is set small, by lowering the drill slowly, centering can be performed due to the contact force between the drill tip and the conical surface of the nozzle. Spinning nozzles were used as experimental workpieces, and 0.1–0.5 mm diameter drills were used.