Background

Thin-wall stainless steel tubes are commonly used in furniture and display structures, but drilling small holes often causes deformation or burr formation.

In this test, we drilled 4 mm holes on SUS304 stainless steel round tubes with wall thickness between 1.0 and 1.5 mm.

Thermal Drilling and Tapping for 1-1.5mm Thickness Stainless Steel Tubes

Common Problems Observed

With standard drilling methods, the tube walls tended to ovalize, and burrs formed around the hole edges. Scrap rate increased significantly when production speed was raised.

CNC Drilling Test Parameters

To minimize deformation, we adjusted both clamping and cutting parameters:

Drill diameter: 4 mm

Spindle speed: approx. 4,500 RPM

Feed: reduced, stable CNC feed

Clamping: full-length tube support

No coolant was required during the test.

Results on the Shop Floor

Hole roundness remained consistent

Burrs were minimal and easy to remove

No visible tube deformation

Average drilling time per hole: ~2 seconds

Practical Notes

For wall thickness below 1.0 mm, deformation risk increases significantly. In such cases, internal mandrel support is recommended.

Typical Uses

This method is suitable for stainless steel tubes used in furniture frames, shelving systems, and decorative metal structures.