thesharpedge - Anca

Carbide taps clearly sit at
the leading edge of tool
technology. Considering how they
are manufactured, and how they are
used, they present special challenges
as well as offering exciting new
opportunities to tool manufacturers
and users alike.
Carbide taps offer significant benefits
over equivalent high-speed steel taps,
delivering longer tool life and greater
productivity through faster cutting
speeds. Successful application of
these tools is coming on the back of
new developments in tougher grades
of carbide that are less susceptible to
chipping. Additionally, more rigid and
precise machines with specialised
tooling for high-speed synchronous
tapping operations ensure constant
cutting forces and reduce likelihood of
tool breakage.
This left actual tool production as
one of the key challenges in making
carbide taps viable in the market, and
ANCA’s TapX is providing this missing
link, a point not lost on engineers at
Sutton Tools in Melbourne, Australia,
who have worked closely with ANCA
in developing this grinding process.
Since its introduction to the market,
ANCA’s TapX machine has opened
up new opportunities for tap
22 thesharpedge Issue Six 2008
manufacturers seeking greater
production flexibility and consistency.
The TapX is able to complete all
tool grinding and wheel dressing
operations for tap manufacture in a
single set-up.
Complemented by the application
software packages iTap, iFlute and
CIMulator3D, ANCA comprehensively
covers all the requirements of the tap
grinding application. With a smaller
capital investment, manufacturers
can grind smaller batch sizes of
either high-speed steel or carbide
A carbide tap held firmly with
a steady and centre during
the grinding process.
the
carbide
solution
Duncan Thompson examines how ANCA was able to use the unique TapX tap
grinding machine to develop a smarter way to manufacture carbide taps.
taps, allowing them to better respond
to the needs of their customers.
These benefits prompted engineers
at Sutton Tools to join forces with
ANCA in applying the TapX to a new
program of carbide tap production.
Building on knowledge and features
developed on the TapX for HSS tap
grinding applications, and with input
from Suttons engineers, ANCA tap-
grinding specialist Tim Akinkugbe
developed a process optimised for
carbide tap grinding. Robert Sutton
from Sutton Tools explains.