The forming metric thread taps are stronger

You cannot underestimate the importance of the thread taps and dies in the industry. They perform the most important role of cutting threads for the vital implements like screws, nuts, and bolts. You have different types of thread taps to carve out threads of different sizes. The most common types of thread taps are the UN thread taps. Similarly, the metric thread taps are also one of the most common in the industry.

In one of our previous blogs, we had seen the utility of the cutting and the forming taps. We shall take this discussion forward and see the difference between the cutting and forming taps.

Cutting taps:

Whenever a machinist needs to create internal threads, he makes use of the cutting taps. When you use a cutting tap, you use tools that remove the material from inside the tapped hole. This leaves an internal thread according to the machinist’s requirements.

You need different patterns like the trapezoidal threads, ACME threads and so on. The machinist uses a special tool known as the chamfer to carve out such special shapes. You are also able to cut threads at 90 degree angles using the chamfers. The trapezoidal thread taps are instruments that require great precision and accuracy. You use such threads in equipment such as aircraft doors and other important places. Hence, accuracy is essential.

Forming taps:

Forming taps are different from cutting taps in the sense that they create external threads. This process involves the displacement of material within a hole. Now, these forming taps require a larger hole because this process causes the materials to thread away and into the threads of the tap.

The difference between the two:

Let us now see the differences between the cutting taps and the forming taps. The principal difference is in the type of threads each method produces. Naturally, the cutting taps are more versatile in the sense that they can be used with more materials. In fact, you can use the cutting taps on the hard materials like iron and steel. You can also use them on the non-ferrous materials like aluminium as well. On the other hand, the machinists use the forming taps on the softer materials like the aluminium.

As far as horsepower is concerned, the cutting taps have the edge because they require less horsepower in comparison to the forming taps. Does that entail that formed threads do not have any advantages? In fact, the formed threads are stronger than the cut threads. This is because the grain flow of the materials stands compressed at the crest and the root of the thread for. In comparison, the cut threads are not as strong. Statistics show that the formed taps have a longer lifespan in comparison to the cut taps as they last 20 times longer.

Thus, you can see that both the cutting and forming threads have advantages as well as drawbacks. The machinist is the right person to decide which type of thread to use. We shall discuss some other types of thread taps and gauges in the articles to follow.

Frank Xu is the author of this article on Acme thread gauges. Find more information, about trapezoidal thread gauges.