Abstract: A method and apparatus for a power feed drill. The power feed drill comprises a servo motor, a roller screw, a ball spline shaft, an air motor, and a collet chuck. The roller screw is rotatably mounted to the servo motor. The ball spline shaft has a first end connected to the roller screw, wherein rotation of the roller screw in a first direction moves the ball spline shaft in the first direction and wherein rotation of the roller screw in a second direction moves the ball spline shaft in an opposite direction to the first direction along an axis. The air motor is capable of transmitting rotation motion to the ball spline shaft to rotate around the axis. The collet chuck is fixably attached to a second end of the ball spline shaft, wherein the collet chuck is adapted to receive a tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a power feed drill. The power feed drill comprises a servo motor, a roller screw, a ball spline shaft, an air motor, and a collet chuck. The roller screw is rotatably mounted to the servo motor. The ball spline shaft has a first end connected to the roller screw, wherein rotation of the roller screw in a first direction moves the ball spline shaft in the first direction and wherein rotation of the roller screw in a second direction moves the ball spline shaft in an opposite direction to the first direction along an axis. The air motor is capable of transmitting rotation motion to the ball spline shaft to rotate around the axis. The collet chuck is fixably attached to a second end of the ball spline shaft, wherein the collet chuck is adapted to receive a tool.

Abstract: A self-normalizing contour surface drilling apparatus drills holes into contour surfaces with the drill bit of the apparatus oriented normally to the contour surface. The apparatus first determines a location of a hole to be drilled and the orientation of the drill bit relative to the surface at the hole location, and adjusts the position of the drill bit so that the drill bit is positioned normally to the hole location. The apparatus then drills the hole at the location, and then repeats the process seeking out the next location for a drilled hole.

Abstract: An adjustable drill microstop is employed with a drill and a drill bit to limit the depth of a hole drilled into an object surface by the drill bit. The apparatus is comprised of a housing and a nose piece that is mounted for reciprocating movement of a pre-selected distance in the housing. The nose piece projects from one end of the housing and is positioned adjacent the object surface to receive the drilled hole. The nose piece has an opening into which the drill bit is inserted and the nose piece has an engagement surface that engages with the object surface during the drilling operation. During the drilling operation, the drill pushes the nose piece into the housing as the drill bit performs the drilling operation. The pre-selected distance that the nose piece reciprocates in the housing limits the depth of the hole drilled by the drill bit into the object surface. The apparatus is globally adjustable to calibrate the predetermined stops.