Are Your SDS Drill Bits Putting Your Anchor Performance at Risk?
When you're specifying anchors for a structural application, the anchor itself gets all the attention. The product approval, the load data, the ETA. What most people don't think twice about is the drill bit making the hole it goes into. That's where things can quietly go wrong.
The PGM mark exists to address exactly this. If it's not something you've come across before, it's worth understanding.
What PGM Actually Means
PGM stands for Prüfgemeinschaft Mauerbohrer, a German inspection and certification body that assesses SDS Plus and SDS Max hammer drill bits. The mark on a drill bit tells you it's been independently verified to meet the tolerances needed for proper anchor installation.
Here's why that matters. Anchor manufacturers test their products using PGM-certified drill bits. The hole diameter, its geometry, how consistent it is: all of that is baked into the test conditions. Use a drill bit that falls outside those tolerances on site, and you're no longer working within the parameters the manufacturer tested to. The performance data in the ETA doesn't simply transfer across.
The Bit Wears. The Hole Changes.
SDS drill bits degrade with use. A bit producing good holes on day one may be cutting oversized or irregular holes a few weeks later. Without PGM certification, there's no traceability, no way of knowing when a bit has drifted beyond what's acceptable.
For most applications, this might feel like splitting hairs. But on anything structural (anchor bolts into concrete for steelwork connections, façade brackets, safety-critical fixings of any kind) the consequences of a compromised hole are real. You may not achieve the stated design performance. On safety-critical applications, that's not a risk that's yours to take.
Post-Grenfell, the industry's tolerance for "close enough" has shrunk considerably. Traceability and compliance at every stage of the build process is the expectation now, not a nice-to-have. Specifying PGM-certified bits is a small detail that forms part of a defensible audit trail.
What the Certification Actually Requires
To carry the PGM mark, a manufacturer has to submit to annual independent inspections confirming their drill bits remain within tolerance. They need a documented quality assurance system in place. And the bits themselves must be clearly marked for traceability.
It's not a one-time tick-box. It's an ongoing production standard. That's the point of it.
Why It Makes Life Simpler on Site
There's a practical case here too, separate from compliance. Because PGM-certified bits are verified to meet ETA tolerance requirements, you don't need to be manually checking drill bit diameters before each job. The mark does that work for you.
It also removes ambiguity around liability. If a non-certified bit contributes to a fixing underperforming in service, the exposure sits with the installer. Specifying correctly from the start closes that gap.
For contractors running multiple sites, standardising on PGM-certified bits just makes sense. Same bit, same hole, same confidence in the performance data, whoever's on the tools that day.
Getting the Right Bit for Your System
PGM certification doesn't mean all bits are interchangeable. Diameter, length and shank type still need to match the anchor manufacturer's installation instructions. If you're specifying a particular anchor system and aren't sure which bit to pair it with, our technical team can help.
We stock a range of SDS drill bits carrying the PGM mark and can cross-reference them against the anchor systems we supply. We've been doing this for over 30 years. The detail questions are exactly what our technical department is there for.
Get in touch on 01233 652 520 or email technical@vjtechnology.com.
Are Your SDS Drill Bits Putting Your Anchor Performance at Risk?
When you're specifying anchors for a structural application, the anchor itself gets all the attention. The product approval, the load data, the ETA. What most people don't think twice about is the drill bit making the hole it goes into. That's where things can quietly go wrong.
The PGM mark exists to address exactly this. If it's not something you've come across before, it's worth understanding.
What PGM Actually Means
PGM stands for Prüfgemeinschaft Mauerbohrer, a German inspection and certification body that assesses SDS Plus and SDS Max hammer drill bits. The mark on a drill bit tells you it's been independently verified to meet the tolerances needed for proper anchor installation.
Here's why that matters. Anchor manufacturers test their products using PGM-certified drill bits. The hole diameter, its geometry, how consistent it is: all of that is baked into the test conditions. Use a drill bit that falls outside those tolerances on site, and you're no longer working within the parameters the manufacturer tested to. The performance data in the ETA doesn't simply transfer across.
The Bit Wears. The Hole Changes.
SDS drill bits degrade with use. A bit producing good holes on day one may be cutting oversized or irregular holes a few weeks later. Without PGM certification, there's no traceability, no way of knowing when a bit has drifted beyond what's acceptable.
For most applications, this might feel like splitting hairs. But on anything structural (anchor bolts into concrete for steelwork connections, façade brackets, safety-critical fixings of any kind) the consequences of a compromised hole are real. You may not achieve the stated design performance. On safety-critical applications, that's not a risk that's yours to take.
Post-Grenfell, the industry's tolerance for "close enough" has shrunk considerably. Traceability and compliance at every stage of the build process is the expectation now, not a nice-to-have. Specifying PGM-certified bits is a small detail that forms part of a defensible audit trail.
What the Certification Actually Requires
To carry the PGM mark, a manufacturer has to submit to annual independent inspections confirming their drill bits remain within tolerance. They need a documented quality assurance system in place. And the bits themselves must be clearly marked for traceability.
It's not a one-time tick-box. It's an ongoing production standard. That's the point of it.
Why It Makes Life Simpler on Site
There's a practical case here too, separate from compliance. Because PGM-certified bits are verified to meet ETA tolerance requirements, you don't need to be manually checking drill bit diameters before each job. The mark does that work for you.
It also removes ambiguity around liability. If a non-certified bit contributes to a fixing underperforming in service, the exposure sits with the installer. Specifying correctly from the start closes that gap.
For contractors running multiple sites, standardising on PGM-certified bits just makes sense. Same bit, same hole, same confidence in the performance data, whoever's on the tools that day.
Getting the Right Bit for Your System
PGM certification doesn't mean all bits are interchangeable. Diameter, length and shank type still need to match the anchor manufacturer's installation instructions. If you're specifying a particular anchor system and aren't sure which bit to pair it with, our technical team can help.
We stock a range of SDS drill bits carrying the PGM mark and can cross-reference them against the anchor systems we supply. We've been doing this for over 30 years. The detail questions are exactly what our technical department is there for.
Get in touch on 01233 652 520 or email technical@vjtechnology.com.
