Perfected thread production

The production of female threads is among the most time-consuming and therefore expensive individual operations. A high level of process reliability is required, as thread production is the final stage of a job, which gives it certain volatility ?if anything goes wrong, the whole workpiece can be at stake. This scenario is warded off by tool manufacturer Walter AG of T黚ingen. Female threads are hardly rocket science or so it appears. But given the tighter production deadlines, time-honored processes lose their apparent triviality. With modern thread cutting production processes, a problem often arises in the days of slower cutting speeds, and feed rates had nowhere near the same significance. The high cutting parameters place extreme strain on the core-hole drill, in particular with stainless, acid-resistant steels and materials that are difficult to machine (ISO-M, ISO-S materials). Very high temperatures can develop on the cutting edges, which causes the material to harden. Lower-quality drills tend to wear more quickly, exacerbating this effect. The subsequent tap meets greater resistance, and its useful life is reduced. This also affects the surface finish quality and gauge accuracy of the finished thread, let alone the possibility of breaking the tap and the attendant consequential costs. Ultimately, it is a matter of the quality of the threading tool. The great importance of boring the core hole is often disregarded when assessing a situation. 揚erfect threads require perfect holes," say the thread specialists of tool manufacturer Walter. The merger of the brands Walter, Walter Prototyp and Walter Titex, has brought together all the expertise needed for metalworking under one roof, including all technologies related to the production of female threads. 揑t's not our intention to reinvent thread cutting," states Timo Mager, Threading Product Manager at Walter, 揵ut our job today is to offer our customers high-performance solutions for all kinds of machining. As thread cutting comprises two separate processes, we want to offer the best tools for both in the form of a complete solution." And this is it: a Walter Titex X晅reme Plus core-hole drill " with a Walter Prototyp Paradur" Prototex" ECO-HT tap. The X晅reme Plus is a solid carbide spiral drill with internal coolant supply. Its salient feature is a patent-applied-for DPL coating (DPL = Double Performance Line), made up of a base coating and a tip coating. The combination of these two layers enables high cutting speeds to be used with above-average tool life. A special point grind ensures low power consumption and a good surface. The high wear resistance and internal coolant supply help guard against the hardening of the hole wall, an essential condition for high-quality threads, particularly when producing large numbers. The Walter Prototyp Prototex?ECO-HT (through hole threads) and Walter Prototyp Paradur?ECO-HT (blind hole and through hole threads) make the ideal partners. With internal coolant supply, a special coating and chamfer geometry, both types offer reliable chip control even when producing deeper threads up to 3xD. The ECO-HT taps are made of HSS-E tool steel and according to the manufacturer are suitable for long- and short-chipping materials with a tensile strength up to 1,300 N/mm2. There is an ECO-HT tap for every processing situation - wet, dry or under MQL conditions. 揟he X晅reme Plus solid carbide drill and the ECO-HT tap represent a benchmark pair for the production of female threads," says Mager. In comparison with standard tools they reduce processing times by up to 50%; this applies to drilling and thread cutting. They also have above-average tool life and process reliability. The higher the quality of the workpieces, the more important these properties are." Solid carbide is increasingly being used for taps. 揙ne aspect of the devAir Jordan 12 Low