Flank wear on Aluminum

[abihs]

I am doing thread cutting on Aluminum 6061 material using an ER16 carbide insert from Korloy. The thread type is UNEF with 24TPI. After cutting the thread on the part, I am finding poor surface finish on the flanks of the thread. Though the threads answer the gauge flank wear is an area of concern for me. I am currently using G92 cycle & have tried various DOC & spindle speed options including reducing DOC but nothing has worked. I am not sure if this is the problem with the insert. Can anyone suggest what could be the problem for flankwear & how to over come it.

THanks in advance for your reply.

Regards,
Abihs

[fizzissist]

Is the finish on both flanks the same? Is it bad on only one side...which? That can tell you something right there.

On a manual lathe the old school was to set the compound at 29.5deg, with the tool set at the correct angle, so that as you fed in, you were "turning" the flank on the tailstock end and it wasn't rubbing.

Modern controls have the ability to change the way you generate the thread by utilizing different patterns for each tool pass, ....alternating, reducing depth with each subsequent pass, or just straight passes of equal depth.

Assuming you're using good coolant, tool's on center, sharp, rigid part, ...etc...

Try playing with different parameters on some sample pieces...this sounds like a generic and not part-specific problem. My 6061 threads have always come out lovely.

[abihs]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. You are right, the flank wear is visible on only side. We are running the part on a CNC machine & I use a right hand tool. We are using a molded carbide insert & use radial infeed, not sure how to avoid the flank wear by changing the angle. Can changing the tool holder from right hand to left hand would work ?

[fizzissist]

http://www.machsupport.com/docs/Mach3_Threading.pdf

...page 27 shows what I was referring to, in cutting pattern.

Otherwise, this is a pretty good treatise on lathe threading.

[abihs]

Thanks a lot, appreciate your support