By Dave Sawicki, IPT America

CNC time is expensive, and engineers always look to decrease machining time to improve productivity. Today's operations managers need more skilled help and are strategizing to reduce cycle time, automate more processes and be more productive.

Many of these operations look to remove the tapping process from the CNC machine to save machining time, improve efficiency and be more flexible, especially when shifting from one job to another. For example, one job may require making 500 parts with the same size threaded hole, then switch to a job with different hole size specifications. An external tapping arm allows for this versatility with fewer adjustments.

If your CNC operation calls for tapping or deburring, you can be more productive if you turn the process around, automating deburring inside the CNC and performing the tapping outside it.

The case to invest in a high-tech CNC drilling and tapping center
Taps require relatively slow spindle speeds, so tapping is one of the slowest milling processes. If holes of several sizes are specified, tool changes can make the process longer. You can realize gains in speed, accuracy and productivity by placing a tapping arm next to the machining center and shifting the tapping process outside the machine. Eliminating tapping from the milling process decreases cycle time, and while the CNC is milling the next part, the operator can tap holes in the previously milled part in less time.

And with that machine time you save by moving tapping outside the CNC, you can add automated deburring inside the CNC after milling, which adds a few minutes to machine time but further improves productivity. Using ceramic fiber brushes for CNC deburring will reduce overall production time by eliminating the hours spent on manual deburring.

Automated deburring has the added benefit of producing high-quality finished products consistently and reliably. And your CNC center will no longer need to wait on manual or outsourced deburring before shipping the parts.

How a tapping arm maximizes production in your CNC center
One CNC center reduced the cycle time of a part by 11 minutes by using a tapping arm outside the CNC after milling. The part required 30 tapped holes, and the original milling, drilling and tapping cycle time was two hours each. Using a tapping arm, the operator reduced CNC cycle time and tapped out 30 holes in just three minutes while the next part was running. As a result, the center lowered cycle time by 7.3% and, in a facility with 10 CNCs, can produce 800 – 1000 more of these parts per year.

Plus, quick-change tap adapters make tapping different hole sizes fast and easy. For example, it takes seconds to switch adapters on a tapping arm, so you can accomplish tapping threaded holes of differing sizes much more quickly than using other methods.

By adding a few minutes to machine cycle time with automated deburring, then externalizing the tapping process, CNC operations can reduce- the cycle time for each part.

Beyond productivity – gain flexibility and innovate your operations
Tapping arms also allow for more flexibility in your workspace. Lightweight, mobile tapping arms can bring the tap to the work, which is three to four times more efficient than carting the workpiece to a fixed spindle. Tapping arms are also capable of secondary options such as reaming, countersinking, and drilling small holes and make it easy with high-speed motors, speed control variators and interchangeable speed modules. Integrating a tapping arm with robotics can also automate the tapping process.

Think outside the box – or rethink what operations you do inside and outside your CNC to optimize production. Pair your CNCs with the newest technologies in deburring and tapping to increase quality and efficiency.

Author Bio: Dave Sawicki is the Senior Application Specialist and Sales Director of IPT America – Improving manufacturing productivity with Roscamat USA tapping arms and Xebec Deburring Technologies, automated deburring and surface finishing solutions. Contact Dave at [email protected].