Emuge’s Rekord DZBF Series taps are made of high-speed cobalt steel and ground with eccentrically relieved threads that have full-pitch diameter relief. They are surface-treated with TIN to reduce friction between the tap and work piece, which improves thread finishes and increases tool life in carbon and alloy steels, cast and forged steels, tool and die steels and 300 stainless steel up to 35 HRC.
There’s nothing new about the concept of “chip breaking,” but the phrase is developing some of the effects of “buzz words” in discussions about turning, boring, and drilling applications. The explanation is simple: machine shops’ need to economize on tooling as they work with an increasing variety of materials, including some very hard metals. The right selection of tools and inserts will allow operators to work more productively, without interruption, if they aren’t slowed by long curling chips that are common when tapping carbon steels, alloy steels, and austenitic stainless steels.
For example, Seco Tools offers a new positive-lock chip-breaker insert — the M5 — that’s designed for strength and longevity in turning and boring applications. The developer said the M5 optimizes tool life for machining a wide range of materials and applications thanks to a balanced rake face that minimizes the heat transferred to the insert. It’s particularly recommended for jobs with steel, stainless steel, cast iron and superalloys, including roughing as well as semi-finishing steps.
Seco Tools said the M5 is offered in a variety of grades, such as TP40, TP0500, TP1500, TP2500, TP3500, TM4000, CP500, TK1001 and TK2001 and is effective on various categories of high-value automotive components, including transmission parts, cylinder blocks, hubs, flanges and shafts.
The M5 design involves a well-protected chip groove that helps machinists address demanding tasks, heavy interruptions, and rough material layers, while an open chip groove with well-adapted cutting angles ensures high feed rates and large cuts. The combined effects promote more efficient machining and greater economy for the shop. In addition, Seco indicates that the fine-tuned chip groove provides full control while handling ductile materials.
Also, it can be paired with Seco’s Jetstream Tooling™ system that delivers coolant to an optimal position close to the cutting edge. The jet of coolant lifts the chip away from the rake face, thereby improving chip control and tool life as well as allowing for increased speeds and feeds.
Also emphasizing the importance of chip-breaking is Emuge Corp., which offers its new Rekord DZBF Series taps, for machining carbon steels, alloy steels, and austenitic stainless steels, notably for applications in the energy sector. These taps are offered in inch sizes ranging from 0.5 through to 2 in.
The new Rekord DZBF taps have a new cutting face geometry and spiral flute form that combine to affect chip flow, chip curl, and chip length. Emuge said this development (Emuge CBTz) produces short, broken, controllable chip formations that eliminate flute clogging and potential machine failure due to chipped cutting teeth or breakage. The technology promotes more reliable threading, reduces machine downtime necessary to clean chips, improves tool life, produces better surface finishes, and increases operator safety, according to the developer.
“Our new chip-breaking capability is a testament to Emuge’s unwavering commitment to developing the latest cutting tool technology,” stated Mark Hatch, product director of taps and threads mills. “The new chip-breaking design we’ve developed is going to drastically improve tapping in difficult applications such as in the oil field, petrochemical and power generation industries.”
Rekord DZBF Series are made of high-speed cobalt steel and ground with eccentrically relieved threads that have full-pitch diameter relief. The taps are surface-treated with TIN to reduce friction between the tap and work piece, which improves thread finishes and increases tool life in carbon and alloy steels, cast and forged steels, tool and die steels and 300 stainless steel up to 35 HRC.
Emuge said the new taps are ground with an increased pitch diameter, 2BX, that optimizes the gauge tolerance for a 2B class-of-fit, in order to add an additional wear allowance that improves tool life. They are made with Emuge’s trademark long shanks, DIN length for extra reach, improved chip evacuation, cooling, and lubrication. The developer said the new taps could be used for horizontal or vertical machining, which cuts down changeover time and eliminates the need to stock two lines of taps. A modified bottom chamfer is recommended for blind holes.
