Tapping

Design and use of taps for threading harder materials. Specially designed taps can be very effective for threading hard materials, as can thread mills.

Realizing true high-speed synchronous tapping with solid-carbide tools.

Understanding pitch-diameter limits and class of thread fit helps in specifying the appropriate tap for the job.

Cold-forming taps shrink tapping cycle times.

Shops and toolmakers discuss the challenges of tapping.

Tap manufacturers introduce products to improve tapping.

Simplifying tapping operations on low-silicon aluminum.

Tips for deep-hole tapping in titanium and other aerospace-grade materials. Advice is provided by NIST and the International Titanium Association.

The choice of tapping driver, the component between the spindle and the tap, can affect the quality and accuracy of the threads as well as the rate of wear on the tap and the machine tool. This article discusses how features such as length compensation and self-reversing protect against damage caused by machine and tool errors.

Tapping holes 1 1/2 times the tap diameter or deeper requires greater care than other tap operations. This article discusses the chip evacuation problems that can make deep-hole tapping a challenge and the tap geometries and flute designs that can tap these holes successfully.