A prospect out of Monroe North Carolina reached out to FlexArm because they were looking for an alternative tapping method that would eliminate tap breakage. The end-user taps into 4140 pre-hardened steel as well as a variety of other alloy steels. They were tired of breaking taps so they sent in some of their parts to see if the FlexArm could help prolong their tool life.
Three different sized taps (10-24, 5/16”-18, and 1/2”-13 ) were used to thread 1” deep blind holes in the 4140 steel. To accommodate the 1/2”-13 tap, the RNR-20pneumatic arm and GH-18hydraulic arm were chosen to show the end-user the speed difference between the two arms. The RNR-20 in low gear is limited to 100 RPM, but the GH-18 has a speed governor in the power pack, allowing the user to fine-tune their speeds. Therefore, the GH-18 can thread the 1/2”-13 tap faster at 200 RPM. Testing the material with both arms gave the end-user the opportunity to see how each arm would perform on their parts.
If you have a similar application where you are tapping into alloy steel or just looking to speed up your tapping process,contact us for a quote or schedule a tap test today.
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Auto Stand-Off – This is currently defined to be surface stand-off and not to be confused with vector stand-off in 5-axis mode. The current auto stand-off is based on a changing surface and will adjust vertically based on the angle of the “A” Axis, so there is five (5) axis taken into account during the calculations, but this is not the same as the tool vector stand-off. There is the ability to do the vector stand-off change while the machine is running manually with buttons on the screen.
Z-Reader Probe – The Z-Reader is a device for mapping the location of the surface. It can be controlled manually & programmatically. The option is NOT active while cutting & is retracted out of harm’s way. It can be triggered to verify the surface at every pierce before the cutting process starts, or it could be used to drive surface mapping of the whole part before cutting starts. It begins with initialization or zeroing of the device to the surface at the beginning of a program and then accumulates or tracks the difference from that zeroing effort.
Automatic Edge Finder – The edge finder is or can be utilized manually (Jogging Method & Screen Buttons), programmatically (M & G codes), or fully automatic routine (dedicated program). This option sets offsets & program rotation to match the orientation & location on the cutting table.
AC Unit Installed on Electrical Cabinet – The unit is mounted on the cabinet’s High Power (480v) side. It is close to the location where the drives are mounted. This option keeps the cabinet temperature stable and allows heat dissipation faster. The servo drives for all axes are the most significant contributors to heat inside the electrical cabinet.
5-Axis Renishaw Calibration – The calibration unit is a Renishaw model APCA45 with a modified spherical stylus. The device has a retractable cover and air purge to clear debris & dust during the activation process. It mounts to a swing arm controlled by a pneumatic rotary, so it is out of the way during regular operation and swings into the calibration position for calibration only.