Deburr Both Sides in One Pass – Meet the Heule COFA Tool

by Bernard Martin

When you’re chasing cycle time and consistency, deburring both the front and back of a cross hole—without flipping the part or making a second pass—is one of those shop-floor dreams that actually is reality thanks to Heule’s COFA tool. Designed for high-volume production environments, COFA automates the deburring process for through holes, delivering uniform edge breaks on both sides, even when you're dealing with interrupted or angled exits.

What Makes the COFA Tool Unique?
Most deburring tools struggle with uneven surfaces or non-uniform chamfers on exit holes. The COFA tool solves that by using a unique spring-loaded carbide blade that smoothly follows the contours of the hole—even elliptical or sloped breakouts caused by intersecting geometries. You get consistent edge breaks every time.

Here’s how it works: as the COFA blade passes through the bore, it flexes and conforms to the backside surface. On the return stroke, it deburrs cleanly and consistently—no matter what the exit geometry looks like.

The result? A uniform chamfer both going in and coming out, without the need for reorienting the part or secondary operations.

Sizes, Specs, and Material Options
The Heule COFA system is available in a wide range of sizes to suit just about any job:

• Hole Diameter Range: Ø2.0 mm to Ø26.0 mm (0.079" to 1.024")
• Cutting Edge Material: Solid carbide standard; also available with TiN or TiAlN coatings for improved wear resistance and extended tool life
• Blade Widths: Multiple options for different chamfer widths, typically between 0.1 mm to 1.4 mm (0.004" to 0.055")
• Tolerances: Deburring precision down to ±0.05 mm (±0.002")
• Shank Types: Straight shank and Quick-Change (HEULE SNAP) options available

The COFA blades are replaceable, and the tools are designed for long life, even in automated environments like CNC turning centers or robotic machining cells. The design allows for radial tool clearance, meaning minimal deflection and consistent results, even on high-feed cycles.

Application Examples
If you’re machining hydraulic bodies, transmission parts, or anything with intersecting or cross-drilled holes—this is your tool. COFA performs beautifully on materials ranging from aluminum and brass to titanium and Inconel. We’ve seen shops eliminate multiple secondary deburring steps by simply programming COFA into their CNC routines.

And for high-volume shops?
The COFA's blade life is impressive. Most users get thousands of holes per blade depending on the material, which translates directly into reduced downtime and labor.

Need Help with Selection?
Choosing the right blade size and holder combination is critical to success with COFA tools. At Factory Tooling Solutions, we work directly with Heule’s application team to help you spec the right setup the first time. Whether you’re working in tight bores or high-temp alloys, we’ve got a COFA tool that will get the job done cleanly and reliably.

Ready to simplify your deburring process?
Let’s get rid of the flipping, fumbling, and inconsistent edge breaks. Reach out to Factory Tooling Solutions today to test drive the Heule COFA tool on your toughest applications. Our team is here to help optimize your process and reduce your finishing time—one perfect chamfer at a time.