Pilot holes are used to drive screws into woods and further drill with more diameter drill bits in metal and woods.
The purpose of a pilot hole is to provide secure passage for the screwdriver or bit, so that the hole can be drilled cleanly and easily without damage to the surrounding material. Precise sizing of the pilot hole will ensure that too much torque is not applied when screwing in the screw, leading to reductions in drilling speed and ultimately increased Bit Speed Errors (BSEs). If the pilot hole is too small, it may also break or chip when being screwed in, potentially causing damage to the surrounding material. Conversely, if the pilothole is oversized, there is a greater risk of over-torquing the screwdriver, which could lead to stripped screws and consequently broken panels etc.
To ensure correct Bit Speed Accuracy during drilling, pilots must be sized such that: 1) The diameter of bit being used matches fully within size of desired Pilot