How Do Power Drills Work

Electrically powered drills (commonly referred to as power drills) work by turning electrical energy into mechanical energy in order to rotate a piercing drill bit.

This energy transfer is achieved by sourcing electricity from an AC power supply and feeding it into an electric motor, which then converts the energy by electromagnetic induction -voltage production through a magnetic field -in order to spin a rotor at high speed.

The main advantage that power drills have over their hand-powered brethren is their high torque, which allows for holes and screws to be drilled into tougher materials and at greater depth and speed.

The energy from the AC power supply is controlled by the user through the drill’s trigger, which is a common feature of the pistol-grip electric drill. The trigger is backed with a metal plate which when pressed connects the drill’s power source to its electric motor, supplying it with electrical energy to be converted into the mechanical energy that is necessary to rotate the drill bit. Modern drills employ multi-staged triggers, allowing pressure-sensitive control of the rotational speed dependent on how much electricity is directed to the drill’s electric motor.

Facts about Power Drills

Patent – Electrical engineer and Scotsman Arthur James Arnot registered the first patent for an electrically powered drill on 20 August 1889, at the age of just 23.

Duel – The first ‘pistol-grip’ electric drill – which is now the most commonly used – was created and patented by Black & Decker in Maryland, USA, back in 1917.

Primate – There is a type of primate called a Drill that is closely related to the baboon. It is Africa’s most endangered mammal, with possibly only 3,000 left in the wild.

Primitive – The earliest form of drill to be found on Earth is the bow drill, which was primarily used to start fires and not to create holes. It could also be used for woodwork and dentistry.

Rose – Among the many Tudor-era artefacts to be salvaged when the Mary Rose warship was raised from the ocean floor was a selection of wooden drills.