Threading & Tapping

Two new drills optimized for drilling aluminum automotive parts have been developed by Sandvik Coromant. Suitable for the machining of components in medium-to-large volumes, CoroDrill 400 and CoroDrill 430 deliver high throughput and low costs, as well as extended tool life and enhanced process security.

Brian Norris, president of The Americas for Dormer Pramet, spent a few minutes during IMTS 2018 to guide Cutting Tool Engineering Publisher Dennis Spaeth through a number of product highlights from Precision Twist Drill, Union Butterfield, Dormer and Pramet.

The Pramet T8010 is suitable for continuous precision threading of steels, stainless steel, cast iron and superalloys. It further extends our assortment in this application area and supports the universal grade T8030.

A case study of the "new generation" B5536 bond from Buffalo Abrasives Inc.

The new versatile high-performance TC420 Supreme thread former from Walter features a new substrate and a new polygon geometry that provides better forming behavior, less friction and longer tool life. In addition, its polished surface yields a better surface finish than is achieved with thread cutting.

Tool applications and deposition technologies for tetrahedral amorphous carbon coatings.

When filling critical shop positions, the best candidates might be right under your nose.

The TNC 640, HEIDENHAIN's high-performance mill-turn control, is popular with users thanks to its workshop-oriented operational design. Now the TNC 640 is, and will only be, available with groundbreaking touch technology that supplements the TNC 640's field-proven cycles and functions. It allows the user to operate the control screen with gestures, similar to smartphones or tablets.

I received an email from a reader letting me know that he disagreed with my recent article on tapping versus thread milling. In it, I stated, "There's little chance of successfully thread milling metals much above 45 HRC. And if you're going to try to tap them, be prepared to duck the flying shrapnel when the tap explodes!" We all make mistakes.

As discussed in the current issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine in the feature article "Specialization on tap," material-specific taps continue to evolve. Sources anticipate increasing specialization of the materials used for taps across industries.

A look back at the use and evolution of sintered powder metal and the PM process that results in a tool substrate that consists of finer, more consistent particles, and yields a stronger, longer-lasting cutting edge.

For many in the machining community, tapping is the preferred method of threadmaking on a CNC machining center. Yet others contend that thread milling is better. Kip Hanson breaks down the long-running argument.