WO2016027124A1

WO2016027124A1 - Drilling tool, drilling device, kit and method for performing the drilling of a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium

Info

Publication number: WO2016027124A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/063952
Authority: WO
Inventors: Natalino Capone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-08-18
Filing date: 2014-08-18
Publication date: 2016-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 2017-02-18

Abstract

A drilling tool (1), a drilling device and a method for performing the drilling of a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium, configured to allow removing a connecting rivet, drilling and flaring the panel by means of one single procedure.

Description

DRILLING TOOL DEVICE AND METHOD

DESCRIPTION

Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to a tool, device and method for drilling a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium, in particular a tool for drilling a packet comprising at least two panels coupled therebetween by means of temporary rivets (known as the trade name of Pop Rivet) and a method allowing to remove the rivets, to drill and to flare the panel/panels by means of a single procedure.

Background

The procedures for drilling panels made of composite material and/or aluminium and in particular the procedures of manual drilling are very much frequent processing procedures in the aeronautical field, a technical field wherein both precision and processing time result to be extremely important.

In particular, in the steps for assembling and mounting components made of composite material and/or aluminium, the processing procedure provides the need of proceeding with removing temporary coupling elements (such as for example the rivets commercially known with the name of "Pop Rivet"), positioned to couple semi-finished composite material products, to replace them with joints of permanent fixing means.

In the known art, the described operation provides to perform at least three processing steps, that is a first step of removing the rivet by means of using a tool for drilling, a second step of finishing (under tolerance) the implemented hole until reaching the diameter requested by the processing cycle and a third step of flaring the implemented hole.

The processing steps include a plurality of tools (for example a first tool for removing the rivet, a second "widening" tool for finishing and a third "flaring" tool for flaring the hole) and related drills.

Such processing steps are currently performed by using at least two resources in parallel, a first one for the manual drilling procedures and a second one for the procedures to suck the chip and powder produced during the processing. The need of sucking the chip, in fact, does not allow a single operator to have processing autonomy, therefore the production costs must provide at least two resources for implementing the processing.

Even the processing time result to be considerable due to the procedure for exchanging tools and to the number of motions due to the three procedures performed in different moments.

Therefore the known art involves a series of disadvantages, further having a high percentage of processing defects. In particular, the known processing processes produce a percentage of defects of about 60%.

One of the most frequent defects is the lack of perpendicularity between hole and processed surface.

An additional defect is characterized by the out-of-tolerance sizes of the implemented holes. Still an additional defect of the known art is the lack of coaxiality between the hole axis and the flare axis.

The components having processing defects obviously have to be processed again with consequent increase in the production costs.

Summary of the invention Therefore, the technical problem placed and solved by the present invention is to provide a drilling tool, a drilling device and method allowing to obviate the drawbacks mentioned above with reference to the known art.

Such problem is solved by a drilling tool according to claim 1 and even, according to the same inventive concept, by a device according to claim 5 and by a drilling method according to claim 17.

Preferred features of the present invention are present in the claims depending therefrom.

Advantageously, the drilling tool according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention allows completing the processing for removing a tacking, drilling and flaring rivet implemented in a single procedure.

In particular, the geometrical shape of the tool allows optimizing the sizes of the implemented hole which results to be without delaminations both at the inner walls and at the surfaces for inletting and outletting the tool from the panel(s). In this way, the need of having recourse to a high number of tools is reduced, with consequent economical and beneficial qualitative processing advantages. The same geometrical shape of the tool according to the invention allows then, by means of drilling, to remove the connecting rivet and to drill and flare at the same time.

An advantage of the drilling device according to the preferred embodiment of the invention allows implementing a coaxial hole to a main reference axis of the device itself. In particular, the hole is implemented with aeronautical tolerances and in a direction perpendicular to a reference surface of the panel to be processed.

An additional advantage of the invention according to the present invention lies in the possibility of adjusting the drilling depth.

Furthermore, advantageously, the invention according to the present invention allows minimizing the production costs both by means of greatly reducing the processing defects and using a single resource which can complete the processing in full autonomy.

Additional advantages, features and use modes of the present invention will result evident from the following detailed description of some embodiments, shown by way of example and not for limitative purpose.

Brief Description of the figures

The figures of the enclosed drawings will be referred to, wherein: ■ figure 1 shows a side view of the drilling tool according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

^■ figure 1 a shows a top view of the tool of figure 1 ;

^■ figure 1 b shows a sectional view l-l of figure 1 ;

^■ figure 1 c shows a sectional view K-K of figure 1 ; ■ figure 2 shows a drilling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

^■ figure 3 shows an exploded view of figure 2;

^■ figure 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device of figure 2;

^■ figure 4a shows a partially sectional schematic view of a component of figure 2; ■ figure 5 is a partially sectioned side view of a detail of figure 2 in a use configuration;

^■ figure 6 shows the detail of figure 5 during a drilling procedure;

^■ figure 7 shows the detail of figure 5 during a flaring procedure;

^■ figure 8 shows a perspective view of a sucking element which can be coupled to the device of figure 2;

^■ figure 9 shows a view of the device of figure 2 coupled to a sucking element;

^■ figure 10a is a top perspective view of a detail of a coupling of panels through provisional connecting rivets;

^■ figure 10b is a bottom perspective view of the detail of figure 10a; ■ figure 10c is a schematic view of a connection of known art;

^■ figures 1 1a and 11 b are related views of a flaring and drilling surface, respectively, obtained by means of tools of known art;

^■ figures 12a and 12b are related views of a flaring and drilling surface, respectively, obtained by means of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

^■ figure 13 shows table 1 , as described below;

^■ figure 14 shows table 2, as described below.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments By firstly referring to figures 1 and 1a, 1 b, 1 c, the drilling tool according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is designated as a whole with 1.

The drilling tool 1 according to the present invention, for drilling a panel in composite material and/or aluminium at a connecting element, has a coupling shank 29, in particular threaded outside, for engaging on a drilling device apt to drag the tool itself in rotation. The tool 1 further has an elongated body integral to the coupling shank, said body having at a distal portion three helicoidal grooves developing longitudinally to define three main cutting edges for the panel drilling. In particular, the main cutting edges have a lead angle (a) comprised in a range between 85° and 95°, allowing to guide the tip in the hole and facilitates to cut and then to remove (in particular the destruction by drilling) of the rivet (Pop Rivet). Preferably, by referring to figure 1a, the main cutting edges have a first front clearance angle (a) comprised in a range between 10° and 18°, a second front clearance angle (b) comprised in a range between 20° and 26° and a discharge angle (c) comprised in a range between 6° and 10°.

Moreover, as shown in figure 1d, the main cutting edges have a rear clearance angle (d) comprised in a range between 12° and 16°. Advantageously, the geometry of the main cutting edges allows reducing the operator's effort in the drilling processing. Advantageously, the whole shape of the tool 1 allows the removal of the connecting element and the drilling of the panel itself, by meeting the aeronautical tolerance requirements.

The core of the distal portion of the tool has a diameter comprised between about 25% and about 45% of the outer diameter of the cutting edges so as to resist to the stresses thereto it is subjected during processing and at the same time so as to leave the space necessary to receive and move away the chip and/or powder.

In the described example, the main cutting edges develop along a right-hand helix. In this way advantageously it is possible moving away the chip and/or powder from the section under processing. The main cutting edges develop longitudinally for a determined extension which depends upon the thickness of the material to be drilled, as far as meeting a flaring portion of the tool itself.

In particular, as shown in figure 1 , the flaring portion comprises additional three helicoidal grooves, an extension of the previous grooves, which develop longitudinally to define three secondary cutting edge apt to flare the panel.

Advantageously then, the tool according to the invention allows obtaining a hole flare by means of the same tool used to remove the rivet for the temporary connection and the implementation of the hole itself. The flare portion has a larger outer diameter of the tool than the distal portion comprising the primary cutting edges.

Preferably, the secondary cutting edges have a hook angle (g) comprised in a range between 15° and 25°. Moreover, the secondary cutting edges have a radial clearance angle comprised in a range between 6° and 10° and, in particular, a tilting so as to implement the wished flaring angle (β), with a tolerance of about +/- 2°.

In particular, the helix angle (γ), formed by the tangent to the helix itself and the main axis of symmetry (B) of the tool shown in figure 1 , assumes a value preferably comprised in a range between 20° and 30° on the larger diameter of the tool.

The larger diameter, run across too for a tract by the chip compartment, has in the solid section thereof a notch 23 implemented to receive the tool used for assembling the drilling tool on the shaft 2. Such larger diameter restricts with a tilting of 120° as far as reaching a smaller diameter receiving a metric thread implemented for screwing the tool at an engagement for coupling with a drilling device apt to drag the tool itself into rotation, as it will be better described hereinafter.

The drilling device 7 according to the present invention preferably can be used in an apparatus for drilling a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium and in particular for drilling a plurality of panels made of composite material and/or aluminium coupled therebetween.

In the preferred embodiment, the drilling device 7 comprises a tool-holding shaft 2 having a first distal end 12 configured to be coupled to a drilling tool 1 , for example shown in figures 2, 3 and 4. In particular, the first end 12 has a cylindrical seat threaded inside to receive the tool 1. By still referring to figures 1 and 2, a second proximal end 22 of the tool-holding shaft 2 is configured to be engaged in the sleeve of a drill apt to drag into rotation the tool 1 according to a longitudinal axis (A) of the same tool-holding shaft 2.

The device 7 further has a substantially tubular spacing element 4, arranged or apt to be arranged coaxially circumscribed to the tool-holding shaft 2 so as to allow a sliding of the shaft itself within the spacing element 4.

As shown in the figures, the spacing element 4 has a distal end 14 apt to abut on the panel to be drilled. Advantageously, then the device allows to obtain a drilling of the panel substantially coaxial to said longitudinal axis (A) of said tool-holding shaft. In particular, the distal end 14 has a substantially circular surface lying along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the shaft 2. In such way, by bringing the distal end 14 to abut with the surface of the panel to be drilled, the condition of perpendicularity is maintained between the surface to be processed and the axis of the tool 1 guided by the shaft 2 during processing, thus allowing to obtain a hole perpendicular to the panel surface. Advantageously, even in case the connecting element between two panels is not perfectly perpendicular to the panel surface, the use of the device 7 allows performing a removal of the element and a drilling of the panel according to the main direction of the longitudinal axis (A) of the shaft 2, that is perpendicular to the surface. For example, as shown in figure 10c, in case the connecting element results to be inserted in the panel with a tilting of about 3° with respect to a perpendicular to the surface of the panel itself, the device 7 allows recovering each marginal error and obtaining a finished hole perpendicular to the panel surface.

The distal end 14 has an enlargement for example having a larger outer diameter than the average diameter of the tubular spacing element 4, so as to increase the surface abutting with the panel and to guarantee a stable positioning of the device during the drilling procedure. In a not shown embodiment, the distal end is shaped to have at least three ends apt to operate from resting points on the panel surface to guarantee a stable positioning of the device during the drilling procedure.

In the present example, the spacing element 4 has an inner sliding compartment, inside thereof the tool-holding shaft slides 2, defined between the distal end 14 and a substantially abutment inner edge of the element 4 apt to stop the sliding of the shaft 2. In particular, under a use condition, the first end 12 of the shaft 2 and the tool 7 are made to slide from the abutment edge of the sliding compartment to a maximum sliding position located outside the spacing element 4 and defined by the stroke of the device itself, that is by the extension of the shaft 2 as it will be better described hereinafter. The drilling depth of the device, instead, depends upon the extension of the spacing device 4, as as said above the point of the drilling tool 1 interacts with the panel to be processed only once it has come out from the distal end 14 of the device 4.

Advantageously, adjusting means 5, 6, 8, 9, are provided, coupled outside or which can be coupled to the spacing element 4 to adjust a related positioning thereof with respect to the shaft 2 and to the drilling tool 1 and to allow an adjustment of the drilling depth under a condition of using the device 7 itself.

In particular, the spacing element 4 has a threaded-inside substantially tubular proximal end 24 apt to be coupled with the above-mentioned adjusting means. In the present example, the adjusting means comprises a tubular union element 5 having a first threaded-outside portion 15 apt to be coupled or which can be coupled to the proximal end 24 of the spacing element 4.

The extent of screwing the proximal end 24 of the spacing element 4 on the first portion 15 of the tubular union element defines an effective extension of the spacing device 4. Therefore, a variation of the above-mentioned related screwing involves a variation of the real extension of the spacing device, by involving advantageously a possibility of adjusting the drilling depth of the device 7 itself.

In particular, by making the spacing element 4 to move forward with respect to the tubular union, an increase in the useful extension of the element 4 itself and a decrease in the drilling depth are obtained, whereas by making the spacing element to move back with respect to the tubular union a decrease in the useful extension of the element 4 and an increase in the drilling depth are obtained.

The adjusting means further comprises adjusting means, for example a bushing 6, apt indeed to adjust the related positioning between the spacing element 4 and the union element as mentioned above.

As shown in figure 4a, the adjusting bushing 6 has interference means, in particular a plurality of teeth 21 implemented on an inner surface apt to interfere with an outer surface of the proximal end 24 to fix the related position of the spacing element with respect to the bushing itself 6. In particular, the proximal end 24 has outside an abutment edge 31 having a substantially hexagonal profile so as to allow an interference between the edges themselves of the hexagonal profile and the teeth 21 implemented on the adjusting bushing.

The inner surface of the adjusting bushing 6 is shaped so as to have abutment surfaces for containing an elastic element, for example a spring 50, and a wedge 41 apt to be inserted in a track 40 provided on a second portion 25, threaded outside, of the tubular union 5 and positioned to guide the adjusting bushing 6 with respect to the union itself.

On the outer surface of the adjusting bushing there is a plurality of engravings indicating the inner division, in particular in 30 sectors 21.

In order to adjust the drilling depth, one refers to a reference element, for example a notch, made on the outer surface of the spacing element 4 which in an assembling configuration results to be aligned to one of the above-mentioned engravings. Therefore, starting from a determined position of the spacing element, by shifting the alignment of the notch on the spacing element with the engraving obtained on the adjusting bushing 6 adjacent to the current one, an advancement or a withdrawal of the spacing element 4 itself equal to 1/30 of the thread pitch, according to the rotation direction, is obtained. In particular, the adjusting bushing provides a knurling on an outer surface portion, to ease gripping and moving.

In the herein described preferred embodiment, the adjusting means further comprises a fastening tubular element, for example an ring nut, 8 threaded inside and apt to be at least partially keyed on the second portion 25. The fastening ring nut 8 has at least two different inner diameters, a first cylindrical tract with larger diameter is able to receive an end of the adjusting bushing, the other one instead with smaller diameter has a smooth tract adjacent to the cylindrical thickness with larger diameter and a left-hand thread. The latter thread allows to screw the bushing on the second portion 25 of the union element 5. In particular, the fastening ring nut 8 provides a knurling on an outer surface portion, to ease gripping and screwing.

The first 15 and second portion 25 of the union element 5 have outer diameters different therebetween thereon metric threads are implemented, thereon as mentioned above spacing element 4 and the fastening ring nut 8, respectively, are screwed. The two threads are the right one and the left one for functional reasons, as the mutual position of the elements keyed on the union 5 must be fastened.

Preferably, the portion 15 has inside radial bearings to decrease the friction of the shaft 2 during the rotation and the translation of the shaft itself and an oil seal to protect the mechanism from the processing residues of the tool. As shown in figure 4, the portion 25 is shaped inside to have a cylindrical section and include inside thereof an axial bearing positioned at a distal end of the portion 25 apt to reduce the friction during the rotation and the translation of the shaft 2. The axial bearing further acts as abutment and stopping surface for a forward motion of the shaft during the operation of the device, as it will be better described hereinafter.

In an assembling configuration, the adjusting bushing 6 is positioned between the spacing element 4 and the fastening ring nut 8. In particular, the bushing 6 extends along the portion 15 with smaller diameter, thereon the spacing element is screwed 4, and along a portion of the tract with larger diameter thereon the track 40 receiving the guiding wedge 41 has been implemented.

During a sliding between the portion 25 and the adjusting bushing, the spring 50 received in the bushing 6 is compressed. Considering the elastic constant of the spring, then a force is produced pushing the adjusting bushing 6 in abutment with the spacing element 4. The fastening ring nut 8 is screwed towards the proximal end of the device itself on the union 5 portion 25 so as to lock the bushing 6 with the spacing element 4.

The adjusting means further comprises a tubular element, for example a guiding bushing, 9 apt to slide inside the portion 25 to direct a related sliding of the tool-holding shaft 2 with respect to the spacing element 4.

The guiding bushing 9 at an ending contour has an abutment surface for a stopping element 19 of the adjusting means. The stopping element 19 in particular is a stopping ring made of elastic steel, for example a ring known with the trade name of Seeger, apt to be fastened in a notch or throat 44 obtained on the shaft 2, preferably in proximity of the first end 12.

The guiding bushing 9 is shaped inside to have two cylindrical portions with different diameter. A first portion with larger diameter receives an additional elastic element 51 , for example a spring, needed to bring back the shaft 2 and the guiding bushing 9 to the starting stroke position by pushing the guiding bushing against the stopping element 19, thus keeping the mutual position of the shaft with respect to the guiding bushing 9. A second cylindrical portion with smaller diameter instead acts as guide to the shaft.

As shown in figures, the spacing element has openings, in particular slots 60 on the side surface of the sliding compartment so as to allow the chip and the powders to go out in a processing step. In a second preferred embodiment shown in figure 9, the device 70 according to the present invention further comprises a conveying element 20 shaped to be coupled with the side surface and allow to suck the waste material at the openings 60 during a processing step. As shown in figure 8, the conveying element has a tubular element apt to be connected to a sucking device at a first end. At a second end the tubular element is connected to a surface shaped to be coupled, in particular in a tight way, to an outer surface of the sliding compartment so as to position the end of the sucking tubular element at at least one of the openings.

Furthermore, the invention according to the present invention can be provided under the form of kit comprising a device 7, 70 and one or more drilling tools 1 , each tool being sized to process on a predetermined material and/or thickness of panels coupled therebetween.

Under a using condition, the drilling tool 1 is screwed onto the shaft 2, at the end 12 having an inner metric thread implemented to receive the threaded stem of the tool as far as the abutment of the tilted surface. The shaft 2, the threaded end thereof is positioned inside the spacing device, crosses the whole device for the whole length, as far as the opposite end wherein it is fastened, by means of the stopping ring, to the guiding bushing.

After installing the tool 1 , the wished drilling depth is adjusted by adjusting the related positioning of the spacing element 4 with respect to the tool-holding shaft 2.

Once established the setup position of the device 7, it is clamped on a manual drill (Hand Tool) to perform the drilling. At this point the head of the tool is cantered in the riveted hole, the base of the spacing element is rested on the surface to be drilled so as to obtain the perpendicularity between the axis of the tool and the so-called surfaces and then the drilling is performed.

Advantageously, the drilling method according to the present invention allows performing the steps for removing a connecting element, drilling under tolerance and flaring the hole by means of a single processing, as shown in figures 5 to 7, and complying with the aeronautical tolerance requirements. Such feature allows then to decrease the processing and maintenance costs of the tools. The additional possibility of providing a step of sucking the chip and powder formed during processing upon performing the processing itself, advantageously allows using a single resource which can perform the processing in whole autonomy.

Then, it is evident the importance of the device according to the present invention and of the process associated thereto in terms of costs, time and quality of processing. The following tables underline the advantages, with respect to the known art, of using the invention according to the present invention both in terms of quality (tab 1) and processing time (tab 2).

The present invention has been described sofar with reference to preferred embodiments. It is to be meant that other embodiment belonging to the same inventive core may exist, as defined by the protection scope of the here below reported claims.

Claims

1. A drilling tool (1) for drilling a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium at a connecting element, comprising: a coupling shank (29) for a drilling device apt to drag said tool (1) into rotation; - an elongated tool body integral to said shank (29) at one its own proximal end and having three helicoidal grooves developing longitudinally on the tool body towards a distal end of the tool and defining three main cutting edges apt to drill the panel, said three main cutting edges joining, at a sharping edge of the distal end of the tool, to form a lead angle (a) comprised in a range between 85° and 95° and having a first front clearance angle (a) comprised in a range between

10° and 18°, a second front clearance angle (b) comprised in a range between 20° and 26°, a discharge angle (c) comprised in a range between 6° and 10° and a rear clearance angle (d) comprised in a range between 12° and 16°, wherein the whole shape of the tool allows to remove the connecting element and to drill the panel by complying with the aeronautical tolerance requirements.

2. The drilling tool (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said elongated body further has a flaring portion comprising additional three helicoidal grooves developing longitudinally to define three secondary cutting edges apt to flare the panel.

3. The drilling tool (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said secondary cutting edges have a hook angle (g) comprised in a range between 15° and 25°.

4. The drilling tool (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said secondary cutting edges have a radial clearance angle comprised in a range between 6° and 10°.

5. A drilling device (7; 70) to be used in an apparatus for drilling a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium, comprising: - a tool-holding shaft (2), having a first distal end (12) configured to be coupled to a drilling tool (1) according to anyone of claims 1 to 4, and a second proximal end (22) configured to be engaged in the sleeve of a drill apt to drag into rotation the tool (1) according to a longitudinal axis (A) of said tool-holding shaft

(2);

- a substantially tubular spacing element (4), arranged or apt to be arranged coaxially circumscribed to said tool-holding shaft (2) so as to allow a sliding of the latter within said spacing element (4), which spacing element (4) having a distal end (14) apt to abut onto the panel to be drilled; adjusting means (5, 6, 8, 9), coupled outside or which can be coupled to said spacing element (4) to adjust a related positioning of said spacing element (4) with respect to the drilling tool (1) and to allow an adjustment of the drilling depth under a condition of using the device (1) itself, which device allows obtaining a drilling of the panel substantially coaxial to said longitudinal axis (A) of said tool-holding shaft.

6. The drilling device (7; 70) according to the preceding claim, wherein said spacing element (4) has an inner compartment for sliding said tool-holding shaft (2), said compartment being defined between said distal end (14) and an inner abutment edge apt to stop the sliding of said tool-holding shaft (2).

7. The drilling device (7; 70) according to anyone of claims 5 or 6, wherein said spacing element (4) has a substantially tubular proximal end (24) threaded inside for coupling with said adjusting means.

8. The drilling device (7; 70) according to the preceding claim, wherein said adjusting means comprises a tubular union element (5) having a first portion (15) threaded outside apt to be coupled or which can be coupled to said proximal end (24) of said spacing element (4).

9. The drilling device (7; 70) according to the preceding claim, wherein said tubular union (5) has a second portion (25) threaded outside for coupling with additional components of said adjusting means.

10. The drilling device (7; 70) according to anyone of claims 7 to 9, wherein said adjusting means further comprises an adjusting element (6) comprising interference means apt to interfere with an outer surface of said proximal end (24) so as to allow adjusting the related positioning of said spacing element with respect to said tubular union element (5).

11. The drilling device (7; 70) according to anyone of claims 9 or 10, wherein said adjusting means further comprises a threaded-inside fastening tubular element (8) apt to be at least partially keyed on said second portion (25).

12. The drilling device (7; 70) according to anyone of claims 9 to 11 , wherein said adjusting means further comprises a guiding tubular element (9) apt to slide inside said second portion (25) in order to direct a related sliding of said tool-holding shaft (2) with respect to said spacing element (4).

13. The drilling device (7; 70) according to anyone of the preceding claims, further comprising stopping means (19) fastened or which can be fastened on said tool- holding shaft in proximity of said first end (12), said stopping means (19) being shaped to be positioned in abutment with a proximal end of said guiding tubular element (9).

14. The drilling device (7; 70) according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein a side surface of said sliding compartment has one or more openings (60) apt to allow the chip and powders to come out during a processing step.

15. The drilling device (70) according to the preceding claim, further comprising a conveying element (20) shaped to allow a shape-coupling thereof with said side surface and allow sucking waste material at said one or more openings during a processing step.

16. Kit for drilling a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium, comprising a device (7, 70) according to anyone of claims 5 to 15 and one or more drilling tools (1) according to anyone of claims 1 to 4.

17. A method for performing the drilling of a panel made of composite material and/or aluminium, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a drilling tool (1) according to anyone of claims 1 to 4;

(b) providing a drilling device (7; 70) according to anyone of claims 5 to 17;

(c) adjusting the related positioning of said spacing element (4) with respect to said tool (1) to vary the drilling depth of the wished processing;

(d) assembling said device on a drilling drill;

(e) positioning a distal end (14) of said spacing element (4) in abutment on a surface of the panel to be processed;

(f) actuating said drill and pushing said drill towards the panel to perform a hole by allowing to obtain a drilling of the panel substantially coaxial to a main extension axis of said tool-holding shaft (2).

18. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein said step of performing a through hole comprises a step of removing a connecting element inserted in a panel or in two or more panels coupled therebetween.

19. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein said connecting element is a temporary rivet (Pop Rivet).

20. The method according to anyone of claims 17 to 19, wherein said step of performing a hole comprises a step of flaring the hole.

21. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein said step of removing a connecting element, said step of performing a hole and said step of flaring the hole take place by means of a single processing and complying with the aeronautical tolerance requirements.

22. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein said processing involves the implementation of a hole orthogonal to said surface of the panel to be processed.

23. The method according to anyone of claims 17 to 22, wherein a step of sucking the waste material is provided contemporary to said step (e).