4 Must Haves with In-Die Tapping

Tapping Today’s New Advanced High Strength Steels(AHSS)

The continuous drive for weight reduction in the automotive industry has led to a new generation of Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS).    While these new steels offer the advantage of a stronger yet lighter steel, they also pose production challenges.  Metalforming Magazine’s May cover story “Understanding the New, Stronger Automotive Steels” is a very informative article about such advantages and challenges of working with AHSS.

Tapping AHSS

The tool life challenges metal stampers face when forming AHSS are the same for tapping it.  Tap material and cutting speeds are two vital variables in determining tapping success. Hutchison Tool recommends using taps made from harder tooling material to reduce tap wear when working with these new steels. The expansion of cutting tool materials (HSCO and PM materials) and coatings available will provide longer lasting tool life when tapping AHSS. 

For optimal tapping the cutting speeds (SFM) used for Advanced High Strength Steels should be in the 2/3 range of the tapping speeds for 1008-1010 material. Hutchison Tool can assist you in determining the best tap and appropriate cutting speed for all your tapping applications.

As always, we welcome the opportunity to work with you on your tapping applications.  Please contact us at 800-332-3230 or you can e-mail at sales@hutchisontool.com.

Reduce Part Weight by Extruding and Tapping

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards are becoming more stringent every year requiring a constant drive to improve fuel economy any way possible.  Among the most popular ways of improving fuel economy is weight reduction. 

How can extruding and tapping lead to weight reduction?  

When a threaded hole is required in stamped parts the two most common processes are extruding & tapping and adding weld nuts. Anytime something is added to a part weight is added.  While the minute weight of one weld nut may seem insignificant, add up all weld nuts throughout a vehicle the sum total can become a real weight savings.

There are factors to consider when looking at extruded/tapped holes v. weld nuts including number of threads required and pull test requirements.  If a weld nut is not spec’d as necessary then extrusion & tapping is the best alternative for reducing the weight of a part.

Of course, the most economical way of tapping extruded holes in stamped parts is In-die Tapping.  Hutchison Tool Sales is the in-die tapping industry expert and welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with you on reducing your manufacturing costs and supplying your customers with lighter parts. Contact us today 800-332-3230.

In-Die Tapping Solutions Delivered Quick!

QUICK 2-3 Week delivery of Standard tapping units!

QUICK 4-6 Week delivery of Multi-Spindle and special units!

QUICK 1 Day Shipping of most standard parts!

$72,376.14 of Parts in Stock

QUICK Tapping Tidbit—Just like our deliveries!

Preventative Maintenance Program

In-die Tapping Preventive Maintenance Program

2 year/2 million strokes

Most of the time, the high pressure production environment of metal stamping facilities does not allow for unscheduled down time of dies.  The best way for you to stay ahead of these unanticipated break downs is by having a proactive preventative maintenance program.  That is why Hutchison Tool has put together a preventative maintenance program to help maximize the uptime of your In-die tapping unit.

How often should the PM be done?  

You should consider a PM every 2 years or 2 million strokes

How does it work?

Contact Hutchison Tool to schedule an appointment with our service department that fits into your production schedule to eliminate possible production delays.  Once an appointment is scheduled, you can ship the unit to our plant.

How long does it take?

Most maintenance can be performed in a week.  In some cases, expedited requirements could be handled in just a few days.

What is done to the units?

Each unit is disassembled and each component is inspected for wear.   Each unit will have a report on items that are recommended for replacement.   After any required repairs are completed, each unit is cleaned, repacked with grease and reassembled ready to be put back into service.

What is the cost?

The model 3000 and 3100 have an inspection charge of $400.00 and the model 6000 and 6100 have an inspection charge of $650.00.  In addition to these charges, any parts that are recommended for replacement would be charged as well.  No parts will be replaced without prior authorization from the customer.  Most units generally would require the bearings replaced and some bushings.   Total maintenance including inspection, bearing and bushing replacements usually costs approximately $ 1200.00  for 3000 series models,                                      

$ 2000.00 for 6000 series models, $ 1500.00 for 3100 series models and $ 2200.00 for 6100 series models.  These estimates are based on single spindle units.  Multi-spindle and other special units will generally be higher.

What’s the next step?

Contact Hutchison Tool at 800-332-3230 or e-mail us at sales@hutchisontool.com to schedule an appointment to send the tapping unit to our factory.

Increasing Production of In-die Tapping Operation with Servo Press

Increasing Production of In-Die Tapping Operation

How much faster can a servo press run an In-die tapping application than with a traditional mechanical press using the following traditional process requirements?

Press:  10" stroke (Box B14)

Tap size:  M8 x 1.25 

Material:  1008-1010

Part thickness:  Extruded hole with tap length of .250"(Box B8)

Production Speed:  38 SPM (Box B169)

Press stroke used for tapping:  5.30" (Box B98)

Gear Ratio:  1.9:1(Box B98)

Having to use a full press cycle on a traditional mechanical press, 4.70" of press stroke is used for feeding the strip into progression.  However, using a servo press’s pendulum (half) motion http://youtu.be/i7wSG5UHJec, we can eliminate any unused stroke length and gain increased production rates without having to change current process specifications.

In this scenario, only 1.5” of stroke length is necessary to advance the strip into progression.

Combine this with the 5.30” required for tapping, our necessary stroke length is 6.80”.  By removing the 3.2” of stroke, we will increase production rates from 38spm to 54 spm.

Figure 1

Here’s how. 
A test was performed on a SEYI SD1-220T direct drive servo press with a maximum stroke length (TDC) of 9.84”.  In Pendulum (Half) mode, we can virtually re-adjust TDC to meet the required process stroke of 6.80” or 173mm:  This re-adjusted stroke is programmed into the pendulum (Half) motion profile as setpoint “P1” (see figure 1). 

When the press is engaged, we descend from TDC (250 mm/9.84”) to P1 (143mm/6.8”) at 50 spm (rated max press spm).  P1 is set to 173mm (6.81”) above BDC.  We then descend from P1 (173mm) to P2 (135 mm) at 50 spm.  The distance between P1 and P2 is the 1.5” that we need for the feed progression.  We want to use 50spm between these two pints in order to save as much time as possible.  At P2 (135mm/5.3”), our tapping begins.  We slow the press speed down to 38spm to match the process requirements. We carry this through to bottom dead center (P3), and then back up to P4 at the same rate.  From P4 back up to P1, we increase the speed back to the rated 50 spm.  Note that “0” is used instead of programming 50. The controller software knows that, upon ramp-up, if a 0 is used, it means maximum press spm.  You could just as easily program 50 spm and get the same result.

Figure 2 shows indicates the forming curve and at what points the feed progression and tapping occur.

Figure 2

To see the video of new adjusted output, go here. http://youtu.be/_ALcszI7SU8

New Tapped Hole Size App

We often get requests for the appropriate hole sizes for taps.  While we have a rollform tap hole size chart in the In die tapping resources section of our website, there is a new downloadable app that takes this information to the next level.   North American Tool Corporation has developed a Thread Tap App that can be downloaded to any Apple, Android, Kindle or desktop device.  In addition to hole size information for both cutting and rollform taps, they also give general recommendations for torque and horse power requirements for tapping along with a myriad of other good technical information about taps and tapping.

The app can be downloaded by visiting North American Tool’s website at www.natool.com.   Click on the Mobile Apps button and choose the app for your appropriate operating system.  If you have any additional technical questions or need to order taps please contact us at 800-332-3230.