Hougen Cutters drill a burr-free hole by cutting around the hole and ejecting the center as a usable slug. Hougen Cutters require far less horsepower than twist drills of comparable size when run at the same feed rate. As a result, cutters can be run at higher feeds with higher metal removal rates while horsepower requirements are not increased. The geometry of Hougen Cutters is such that far less material is converted into chips than when using twist drills. Far less thrust is required by Hougen Cutters because they do not have a dead-center area like the chisel edge region of twist drills. Thrust required is 50% of smaller diameter twist drills and 10% or less for larger diameters. More cutting edges at work during each revolution smooths out finishes and reduces chip loads per tooth as compared to twist drills. From three to 12 teeth per cutter, depending upon diameter, helps tools last longer, even at higher feed rates.
