- Stability
When machining difficult-to-process materials like titanium alloys, high-temperature alloys, and high-hardness materials, excessive cutting forces often cause taps to twist or even break inside the part. For long-chip materials, poor chip evacuation can lead to chips wrapping around the tap or blocking the hole, frequently causing the tap to chip or break. Extracting a broken tap is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and can potentially damage the part. This problem can be solved by using a thread mill. Since the thread mill gradually cuts into the material, it generates smaller cutting forces, significantly reducing the likelihood of breakage. Even if breakage occurs, the diameter of the thread mill is much smaller than the threaded hole, allowing for easy removal of the broken part without damaging the workpiece.
- High Precision
Thread milling achieves internal threads through the high-speed rotation of the tool and spindle interpolation, facilitating easy chip evacuation. As thread milling involves interrupted cutting, the chips are short, and the diameter of the milling tool is smaller than the thread being processed, preventing the formation of spiral lines, which are undesirable in high-seal applications. Unlike tapping, thread milling does not generate these spiral lines. Additionally, thread milling reduces the likelihood of chip adhesion, especially in softer materials where chip adhesion is common. Thread milling requires lower machine power as it involves interrupted cutting and localized tool contact, resulting in smaller cutting forces and easier handling of tool breakage.
- High Efficiency
Achieving high efficiency in mass thread production is challenging with taps due to their low cutting speed and the need to reverse out after threading. However, thread mills operate at high cutting speeds and their multi-flute design increases the number of cutting edges, allowing for higher feed rates and significantly improving machining efficiency. For long threads, using thread mills with longer cutting edges can reduce axial feed distances, effectively shortening the thread and further enhancing processing efficiency.