Apparatus and method of making a compound-angled orifice in a disc for a fuel injector

An apparatus for forming a metering disc of a fuel injector from a workpiece, the metering disc including first and second surfaces extending substantially parallel to a base plane along at least first and second platform axes, the first and second surfaces being spaced along a third platform axis extending orthogonally with respect to the base plane, the apparatus comprising:

• a piercing tool extending along a tool axis, the piercing tool adapted to penetrate the workpiece;
• a planar coordinate positioning mechanism displacing the piercing tool parallel to at least the first platform axis relative to the workpiece;
• and
• a spherical coordinate positioning mechanism pivoting the tool axis relative to first, second and third axes so that a tip of the piercing tool is located on the base plane, the spherical coordinate positioning mechanism including a frame having an interior, a spherical bearing, having a generally spherical periphery, being received in a cooperating manner in the interior of the frame,
• wherein the spherical bearing and the frame have cooperating apertures therein such that the workpiece can pass there-through.