STI threadmills?

[gearsoup]

Hey all,

I'm getting 200 parts a month of a certain part. It has (8) 1/4-28 STI threads, (4) 8-32 STI threads, (2) 6-32 STI threads, and (2) 4-40 STI threads. We are currently running Emuge taps, and they work well. However, they tend to hold a birds nest of chips (Mat'l is 6061 aluminum)

It's a high dollar item (at least for us) and we are willing to make any purchase that is necessary to improve the job. Any way we can get away from having M0's in the program, the better we are.

I've looked high and low for thread mills that can cut these , but no luck. I tried perhaps using a 5/16-28 threadmill for the 1/4-28 (the drill size for the STI is .261) but the threads don't go deep enough (root to crest) is small..........

[NEATman]

Gearsoup-

We tap similar sized holes in 6061-T6 all day long, but we switched to thread forming taps years ago. No chips at all. This is an example of a thread forming tap.
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT...MT4NO=19026149

NEATman

[gearsoup]

we have used form taps many times. However, the shape does not really allow for forming. It has thin walls, and form taps push material out of the way. It has a LOT of tight diameters (OD & ID +/-.0002) We can't chance that.....

[qmas99]

Have you tried this :
Fast Spiral Fluted: This tap style is recommended for tapping deep blind holes. The right hand helical ground flutes virtually pull chips out of a hole, thus minimizing chip packing in the flutes and at the bottom of the hole. This style is especially useful for tapping a hole that has a keyway or spline, since the helical lands of the tap will span the interruption.

[CBNDude]

You can try threadmills USA. Ask for Rick he can make you just about anything. He is here in Georgia. Oh yea great prices to. I have used him for over a year. Tell him Stacy from Georgia Iron Works sent you. He will also help with any programming issue's you may have for free.

Phone: (706) 447-4545
rickk@threadmillsusa.com
http://www.threadmillsusa.com/

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