If you are producing sheet metal parts on a punch press, it’s likely you are also incorporating threads into those parts. In-punch tapping is far and away the fastest, most accurate way to produce threads. However, tapping tools come at a price. Here we explore the benefits of tapping tools compared with other methods for adding threads. You may wonder why, if there are less expensive methods for adding threads to sheet metal parts, fabricators should consider investing in a tapping tool. Ultimately, the decision comes down to the thread type, specification and how many tapped holes are needed.
MANUAL TAPPING
More often than not, when the need to produce threads on a part arises, precision metal fabricators use a drill press or other manual process to add the thread, after the punching operation is complete. While relatively inexpensive, this method of tapping threads requires additional part handling and labor that slows the entire fabrication process and increases production costs. It can also be unstable and imprecise, which adds to the risk of injury or scrapped parts.
Click below to read full article on Fabricating and Metalworking Magazine.
May 19, 2018