I'm trying to use this super-cheap PCB drill that I bought recently, but it's too weak for human convenience (takes about 10 seconds to get through standard 1.6mm FR4).
The drill uses a small DC motor (40 mm length, runs off12V, RPM unknown, my PSU shows < 100 mA current draw), which is clearly of concern.
Luckily, it's very simple to detach the drillbit collet from the original motor shaft, by simply releasing the black set screw in the photo.
So I wanted to substitute a more powerful motor. I'm supposing I can just use any standard DC motor to replace the original one.
What motor specs should I look for, if I want to achieve more powerful drilling? Also, should I ideally go for non-geared (higher RPM) or geared (higher torque, but at the cost of rotation speed)?
Best Answer
For PCB drilling you want high speed. < 100mA current draw indicates that you have a very 'weak' motor which has low rpm and torque at 12V.
A '380' size brushed motor which produces 25,000-30,000rpm at 12V should be sufficient. For example the Mabuchi RS-380PH-4045 is rated for 3-12V, draws ~0.5A free running, and does 25,000rpm at 12V.
Many manufacturers make similar motors, and these are commonly used in PCB drill systems. Here is an example on eBay:-
VANGEL--mini pcb drill Press tool 380 motor