How Micro Drill Bits Are Made | How It's Made

Find out how tiny drill bits are made and packaged in factories.

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[Delemaroth]

Idk why i watched this on my break, this is literally my job.

[henrypeterson]

I am a geologist who uses these drill bits to extract extremely small (about 100 microgram) powdered samples of carbonate rock for chemical analysis. Very cool to see this process!

[mirumotsuyasuke]

Legend has it, he's still centering that same drill bit today.

[ParadigmUnknwn]

Several corrections:
0:50 - The grinding wheel is not "applied to a chamfered edge" it is creating the chamfered edge
1:23 - The centerless does not "grind them down to a specified length" it grinds them down to a specified diameter
3:18 - If that technician takes 4 to 5 hours to setup a single drill bit in that grinding jig... I don't know what to say. They most likely meant 4 to 5 minutes which is about right, or possibly the entire drill bit lifecycle from blank to finished takes 4 to 5 hours; however, I believe the former to be most likely.
4:09 - If it's impossible to see the difference before and after fluting, you need an eye exam.

@Science Channel, if y'all are hiring for a script writer/editor, hit me up, 'cause y'all clearly need a better one.

[johnnywayne]

Very neat, a centerless grinder that brings the over all length to size ... Sure looked like it was grinding the OD to me. I know, I know ... He's reading from a script, not his fault.

[Tom-xygb]

Me: about to go to sleep*
YouTube: “Hey, you want to know how they make small drill bits?”
Me: “Yes plz.”

[NitchMakes]

As a machinist, this video is very interesting. I’ve always wondered how our small drill bits and endmills are made.

[TheMightyProdigy]

First time watching a 1080p How it's Made video on YouTube

[burkyfilms]

“An operator sets up the tools and programs its process”

*clicks auto and clicks go*

[EndingTimes]

"it's impossible to see the difference between a bit before and after fluting"

**Can clearly see the fluting as he's saying it**

[thebros]

I actually make tiny drill bits like these for a living but they are medical bone taps, it’s actually really cool how it’s done and all of the processes

[joeybible]

I'm an aerospace and medical equipment machinist. At my workplace we use these tiny little guys to produce very complex, very compact high pressure valves, usually some kind of actuator, for use in various aerospace projects. Also they are used to machine tiny cross connections between two high flow sections to facilitate very precise mixing of liquids, usually used in some kind of medical equipment. Sometimes the tiny holes that are drilled are also used to control the opening and closing of mechanical solenoids

[Mister_H.]

01:28 I’ve never known anyone use a centreless grinder to grind the LENGTH of a part before. The diameter, maybe.

[Trentstone]

"How a micro drillbit is made"

A little bit at a

Ba-dum tiss

[rcdx]

4-5 hours to center it using shim stock???? they need a new process!

[dylandreisbach]

“It is impossible to see the difference between before and after fluting”

Shows us a picture of them side by side with a clear difference.

[felixcat]

What a fascinating production process, evolved over decades.

[jclaytoncabral]

Years ago, a guy created a very tiny drill bit in his home shop. He was so excited about it that he sent it to NASA. NASA returned his bit with a hole drilled through it.

[ChuckRage]

Imagine centering the bit for hours, and then when you take it out of the jig, you tap the end agaisnt the machine and break the bit

[ActiveAtom]

We break so many of these drills of such a micro scale, thought it would be nice to come see what it takes to make these little guys we utilize daily. How It IS made is never a let down, thank you.
We both now appreciate the making of these GREAT cutter more now. We review the bits here under our stereo microscope and comparator.

Lance & Patrick.