5/18-11 Threadmilling in steel

[chris m]

Good afternoon

 

I have a job coming down the pipe [about 100 pieces] that requires [3] 5/8-11UNC thru holes, approximately .800 length of thread, in 1141 steel. I want to threadmill these holes, and have less than zero knowledge of threadmilling, so I need your help:

 

Whose threadmill should I buy? This is a pretty pricey job, so I don't need to go cheap.

 

How should I program it [MC, some threadmill company's macro, ...]?

 

Speeds, feeds, number of passes, etc..?

 

Thanks in advance

 

C

[Mgrenier]

We use Emuge tools and the info from their catalog are pretty much on the spot. We have made a custom macro here to have it run. The thing t consider with these tools is that the lead in move should be done at half the threading feed.

 

HTH

[Goldorak]

we buy micro-100 thread mill from mcmaster carr

 

cheap to buy and works pretty well in steel 44w and ss304

[Mgrenier]

Chris,

 

With that material I woud also consider an OSG tap Tin Coated in the HY-Pro series. We use them day in and day out withous any problems.

 

[ 01-29-2010, 02:24 PM: Message edited by: marting ]

[Hardmill]

Always had good luck with threadmills from

scientific cutting tools.

And yes the MC threadmill toolpaths works great.

 

Linky

 

 

PEACE

[Guest]

I'm with Steve

[chris m]

Thanks guys, keep the suggestions rolling.

 

Martin, we tapped the first few prototype parts but I'd really like to go threadmill on the production parts. I run OSG Hy-Pro and ExoTap here all day long as well; nice taps, just not what I want here.

 

C

[35K chipper]

+100 on SCT

 

35k

[HevyMetl]

+1 on EMUGE. They are expensive, but when programmed at the recommeded speeds and feeds the tool life is expceptional. I ran a 1/8 NPT thread mill from EMUGE and did 150 holes in P20. The same cutter from Harvey would give me about 30 holes before I had enough tip chipping that the gage would no long fit. Harvey cost about a 1/3 of what the EMUGE did.

[Reko]

When you guys program thread milling in MC, do you have to make a custom tool? I can't find any thread milling information in the tool libraries.

 

In the past, I would always write a program manually, but I'd like to start doing everything in MC.

 

I guess my question is, are there tool libraries available for download somewhere, in addition to what MC already has loaded?

[iowajim62]

There are thread mill tool files in Tools Folder on cadcams FTP site. HTH

[Reko]

Thx

[iowajim62]

ur welcome

[GxHxOxSxT]

Chris,

Single point thread mill, .437 Diam

 

N104(5/8-11 THREAD USING SINGLE POINT THREAD MILL)

#1=54

WHILE[#1LE56]DO1

G#1J4

 

G90G00X0.Y0.S#19M#13

Z.5M#3

G01Z-.98F300.

G91

G41X-.094D49F#9

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G03I.094Z.091

G40G01X.094

G90G00Z.1

G90G80G40G00Z1.

GOTO197

 

 

N197G90G80G40G00Z#505

IF[#110EQ1.]GOTO199

#1=[#1+1]

END1

N199M01

M99

 

or you could consider the multi tooth thread mill for less cuts!

 

couple different ways to thread multiple holes.

Hope this helps and if you're interested in further info, feel free to email me at [email protected]

 

If you've already found a suitable machining solution for this, I do appologize!

 

RM

[chris m]

Thanks for the info; it is an OSP control, so I'll have to screw around with your macro a little

[jeff]

I use Lakeshore Carbide for my threadmills.

Never had a problem, and the prices and shipping are good.

$103 for the 5/8-11 threadmill that you are looking for.

[GxHxOxSxT]

Ok no problem Chris! Let me know how you work it out, curious now! I love working with MAcro A and B programming sometimes parametric if the situation dictates.

 

Jeff, Imma check out Lakeshore! thanks for the tooling lead!

 

RM

[chris m]

I wanted to update this thread because the parts have been run with great success. I ended up with a solid carbide Vardex threadmill on this, programmed using their software downloaded from their website, and it worked perfectly. The tool was definitely not a cheap proposition but it ran great, made a great-looking thread, and taught us not to shy away from threadmilling just because "we don't do that here."

 

Learning new stuff rocks!

[Goldorak]

chris, i just saw that you run threadmill on an Okuma

 

i program it directly on mastercam easily with great success using wear comp

 

and +1 for Vardex , i just start to used them and they awesome

[chris m]

Perhaps I will become bolder and use MC next time

[robk]

I'm a fan of Emuge, but for programming I use an Excel spreadsheet that I have. Works great since it gives an option of having more then 1 pass. I don't know if mastercam is capable of doing multiple passes. Let me know if you want a copy of it and I'll shoot it your way.

[chris m]

Rob, fire it at me if you would; my email's in my profile

[Mic6]

quote:

---

not to shy away from threadmilling just because "we don't do that here."

---

+1

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Personally I've never really been a fan of tapping. Yeah it works, but...

[kunfuzed]

Where do you guys prefer "single point" vs hobb type thread mills and vicea versa? Here they only buy "single points" becuase they think hobs are to expensive and you are limited on your pitch.

 

Although we don't do high production threadmilling.