Automatic feed drills and tappers are widely utilized across diverse industrial sectors to execute drilling and tapping operations. Automatic feed drills, self-feed drills, fixtured drills, or auto drills present a financially viable alternative to conventional drill presses and an economical alternative to CNC drilling. They exhibit notable efficacy in production drilling contexts that demand accuracy, dependability, and adaptability.
Specialized drilling stations commonly utilize automatic feed drills to accomplish the simultaneous drilling of individual or multiple cavities. This objective can be accomplished by employing multi-heads or strategically positioning multiple drills around a component to drill every hole during a single operation. These machines are capable of independently advancing the piercing or tapping tool into the workpiece, thereby increasing production capacity and reducing the need for operator intervention.
The rising demand for automation in various industrial operations is expected to propel the widespread adoption of automatic feed drills and tappers. The industrial sector has grown substantially due to incorporating sophisticated technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and other intricate innovations. Since the advent of Industry 4.0, the manufacturing industry has experienced a rapid integration of innovative systems and improved networking architectures. This advancement is expected to present significant opportunities for the growth of the market.
According to the McKinsey Institute, the integration of automation in various operations within the industrial sector has the capacity to enhance yearly productivity growth by 1.4%. A survey conducted by Oxford University suggests that adopting automation in the manufacturing industry could yield a yearly profit of USD 4.9 trillion by 2030. Thus, it is expected that rising industrial sector automation will drive the global market for automatic feed drills and tappers.
Major players are improving the efficiency of their existing products through upgrades. As an illustration, Sandvik unveiled the Leopard DI650i drill equipment in September 2018. Sandvik integrated its iDrill automation platform in June 2021, endowing the drilling equipment with complete autonomy. According to the organization, the recently integrated RC drilling system, seamlessly integrated into the Leopard DI650i platform, offers a reliable and accurate method for locating mineral deposits and controlling grades in open-pit mining. This is accomplished by optimizing the utilization of drill rigs and increasing productivity, which is anticipated to create opportunities for market expansion.
In North America, the significant growth of the market can be attributed to the regional manufacturing units' endeavors to implement state-of-the-art technologies and digital transformation capabilities to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness in light of escalating competition and increasing end-user expectations. Similarly, an increasing number of regional sectors—including but not limited to manufacturing, healthcare, and automotive—are embracing industrial automation, as evidenced by major corporations' introduction of industrial automation products. Therefore, the North American market is experiencing an upsurge in introducing novel products. As an illustration, Hilti North America, a provider of tools, software, and services to the commercial construction industry, unveiled a semi-autonomous core drilling solution in August 2021. The DD 250-CA diamond core drill offers aid to the operator by automatically guiding the drill through the whole drilling process when used in conjunction with the Cut Assist Auto Feed device. These developments are expected to accelerate market expansion.
The key global automatic feed drills and tappers market players are Dumore Tools, Desoutter Industrial Tools, PROMOTECH, AutoDrill, Ingersoll Rand, Nitto Kohki, Hougen, Hypneumat, Steelmax, Huaao Machinery, Sujineng Precision Machinery, Automatic Drill, and others.