Insert bits are removable pieces found in manufacturing tools, from screwdrivers to lathes. They offer advantages such as easy maintenance, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. The bits can be small or large and are attached to machines. By replacing worn-out bits instead of entire assemblies, costs are reduced. Different functions can be achieved by changing the bit. The material of the tip must be harder than the material being machined.
An insert is a removable piece common in all types of manufacturing tools. These bits are common in everything from hand screwdrivers all the way up to complex lathes. An insert bit has several advantages over non-removable bits, most of which boil down to money. They are easy to maintain, allow one tool to have multiple functions, and require less expensive materials. The large number of advantages and few disadvantages have made these bits common in a wide range of applications.
The most common type of bit that an average person will come across is in a screwdriver or power drill. Bits of this type are small pieces of metal that fit into a recess in the tool. This allows the same tool to fit multiple screw sizes or drill different holes in different materials. While these are a very simple form of insert, they illustrate the ease of use and versatility that has made this technology so common.
In an industrial setting, the inserts are usually larger and more complex, but are the same as the home versions. These bits can be a small cutting or drilling surface, similar to their more common cousins, or they can be a large blade or milling head. In both cases, the insert bit is attached to a larger machine.
The reason for these interchangeable pieces boils down to money. The most important factor is the cost of replacing the bit itself. When an insert bit wears out, the bit is discarded and a new one is inserted into the machine. If the bit was part of the workhead, the whole assembly would have to be replaced. By limiting wear and tear to the small item, the cost of the replacement is a fraction of what it could be.
Since the insert bit is designed to be separate from the machine, the same machine can provide different functions by simply changing the bit. This is the same principle as the household screwdriver, only on a much larger scale. Rather than reducing the number of inexpensive hand tools, these inserts eliminate very expensive manufacturing systems.
An additional factor playing into the system that’s easy to miss is the material the tip is made of. To machine a material, the tip must be harder than the material being machined. If the tip is softer, or even the same, the material will stretch rather than shape properly. Since the bits can be removed from the machine, it is possible to have very high quality bits attached to a lower quality work arm.
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