Wie Gewindefräsen funktioniert: Eine einfache Anleitung zur Herstellung des perfekten Gewindes

Have you ever had trouble using a regular tap? Or maybe you needed to make a perfect thread? If so, you know it can be a tough job. From what I’ve seen, learning how thread milling works can help you a lot. It can save you time and money. It can also prevent a lot of problems. I wrote this article for anyone who wants to learn all the details about this great process. I will explain it in a very simple way. So, even if you do not know much about CNC machines, you will understand it well by the end. We will look at what a thread mill is. We will also see how it is different from a tap, and why it could be the best pick for your next project.

What is a thread mill and how does it create a thread?

In all my years of using different tools, the thread mill is special because of its smart design. You can think of it as a special cutting tool that you use in a CNC machine. It is not like a normal tap. A tap is the same size as the thread it cuts. But a thread mill is smaller than the hole it is working in. The special part about how thread milling works is the way the machine moves. The thread mill cutter spins very fast. At the same time, the CNC machine moves it in a circle inside the hole. As it moves in a circle, the machine also moves the thread mill a little bit up or down. This circular, upward path is what carves the thread into the wall of the hole.

I have learned that this way of doing things gives you great control over the thread. The thread mill is smaller than the hole. This means there is less cutting force. There is also less of a chance that the tool will break. A broken tool is a big problem when you use a tap. The thread mill has cutting edges, or teeth. These teeth are shaped to make the exact thread shape that you need. The cutting edges take off a little bit of metal each time they go around. This makes a very clean and exact thread. The thread pitch is the space from one thread to the next. The CNC machine controls the thread pitch by how much it moves the thread mill up or down for each full circle it makes. It is a very good process. With the right program on the CNC machine, a thread mill can make a perfect thread every single time.

How is a thread mill different from a tap?

I have used a thread mill and a tap many times. I can tell you that they are very different from each other. The main difference is in the way they make a thread. A tap is like a screw that you push into a hole. It has cutting edges that are the same size and thread pitch as the final thread. You just turn it and push it in, and it cuts the whole thread in one go. This method can create a lot of force, or torque. This puts a lot of stress on the machine and on the tap itself. I have broken so many taps over the years, especially when working with hard metals.

A thread mill, however, works in a gentler way. As I said before, the thread milling cutter is smaller than the diameter of the hole. It does not cut the whole thread in one motion. Instead, the CNC machine moves the spinning cutter in a special circular path to slowly create the thread. This is a very important part of how thread milling works. This movement is called helical interpolation. To do this, you need a CNC machine that can move on the X, Y, and Z axes all at the same time. The thread mill takes very small cuts. This means there is less cutting force, which means the tool is less likely to break. This also makes it a great choice for cutting into hard materials.

Here is a simple table to show you what I am talking about:

Another big difference is how they handle the small metal chips. When you use a tap, the chips can get stuck in the grooves, called flutes. This can happen a lot in blind holes, and it can cause the tap to break. A thread mill makes smaller chips. These chips are easier to wash away with coolant.

What are the advantages of thread milling?

Over time, I have really grown to like the good things about a thread mill. When you are trying to run a shop, anything that can save you time and money is a great thing. One of the best things is how flexible it is. With just one thread mill, I can cut a thread with the same thread pitch in many different hole sizes. This is a very big plus compared to tapping. With tapping, you need a new tap for every hole diameter. This adaptability means I do not need to own a large number of different taps.

Another great thing is the quality of the thread. I have seen that a thread mill makes a much smoother surface than a tap. The cutting tool takes light cuts. Because of this, it makes a very clean and exact thread with a very good tolerance. This is very important for work where things need to be perfect, like in the aerospace field. I can also change the size of the thread very easily. I just make small changes to the CNC program. You can’t do that with a tap. I can even use the same thread mill to cut both internal and external threads. I just have to change the direction the tool moves in. This ability to do so many things is a very big help.

Here is a short list of what I think are the main advantages of thread milling:

• Flexibility: You can use one thread mill to cut a thread in many different hole sizes.
• High-Quality Threads: A thread mill makes a better thread surface and has a better tolerance.
• Less Tool Breakage: The lower cutting force means there is a smaller chance the cutter will break. This is true even in hard materials or blind holes.
• Good Chip Control: The milling process makes small chips that coolant can easily wash away.
• Works on Tough Materials: A thread mill is great for cutting a thread in materials that are hard to cut.
• Full Thread Depth: You can cut a thread very near to the bottom of a blind hole.
• Both Internal and External Threads: Many thread mill tools can be used to cut both internal and external threads.

Are there any disadvantages of thread milling?

I really like using a thread mill. But I will be honest and say it is not always the best tool for every single job. There are some bad things about thread milling that you should know. The main one is how long it takes. For big production runs, where you are making thousands of the same thread, tapping is usually faster. A tap can cut the entire thread in one go. A thread mill takes more time because it has to move in that special circular way.

Another thing to think about is that you need a good CNC machine. Because thread milling works by moving the tool on three axes at once, you need a CNC machine that can do helical interpolation. Most new CNC machines can do this. But older machines might not have this feature. You also should have a high-speed spindle to do it right. The CNC programming for a thread mill can also be a little harder than the program for a simple tapping job. But, these days, most computer software for machines makes this pretty simple.

I have also seen that for very small diameter holes, a thread mill may not be the best pick. A very small thread milling cutter might not be very strong. It could bend a little, which can lead to an incorrect thread. For these small holes, a tap might be a better tool. Lastly, the first cost of a good carbide thread mill can be more than a normal tap. But from what I have seen, the longer tool life and the way you can use the thread mill for many jobs often makes it a better deal over time.

What kind of CNC machine do I need for a thread mill?

People often ask me what kind of machine they need to use a thread mill. The good news is that most new CNC milling machines are able to do it. The number one thing is that the CNC machine must be able to do helical interpolation. This means the machine has to be able to move the spindle in a circle on the X-Y plane. At the same time, it must move it along the Z-axis. This controlled, three-axis movement is what lets the thread mill make the spiral shape of the thread.

If your CNC machine is from the last 10 or 15 years, it can probably do this. I have found that a CNC machine with a high-speed spindle also helps a lot. A thread mill does its best work when it spins at higher speeds. The controller on the CNC machine is also important. The CNC programming gives the machine the exact path to move on. This includes the diameter of the circle and the thread pitch.

You will also need a good tool holder. The holder needs to grip the thread milling cutter very tightly. If the tool wobbles at all, it can hurt the quality of the thread. It can also cause the tool to wear out too fast. I always tell people to use a top-quality, balanced tool holder to get the best work from their thread mill. Using a good coolant system is also very important. The coolant helps wash away the chips from the cutting area. It also keeps the thread milling tool from getting too hot, which makes the tool life longer.

How does the thread milling cutter actually cut the thread?

It is really neat to see a thread milling cutter as it does its work. The whole thing is like a planned dance between the cutter and the CNC machine. First, the CNC machine brings the spinning thread mill to the middle of the pre-drilled hole. Then it lowers it down to the right starting depth. After that, the machine moves the thread mill to the side of the hole. This is the point where the cutting starts.

The thread mill then starts to move in a circle. As the thread milling cutter spins, its cutting teeth touch the material of the workpiece. To make a right-hand thread, the thread mill will usually move in a counter-clockwise circle. At the same time, it moves up along the z-axis. To make a left-hand thread, it will move in a clockwise circle while moving up. The distance it moves up for each full circle is the same as the thread pitch. The cutting edges on the thread mill are shaped just like the desired thread. So, as the tool moves, it carves that shape into the side of the hole.

The cutter is made with many cutting teeth. They are often set up in a spiral flute pattern. This helical flute thread design helps make the cutting pressure lower. It also gives a smoother finish. A single-profile thread mill has just one line of cutting teeth. You can use it to cut a thread with any pitch. A multi-profile thread mill has many lines of teeth. It can cut a whole thread in just one circle. This makes it faster for big production runs. No matter which type of cutter you use, the way it cuts the thread is the same. It is a mix of the tool spinning and the machine’s circular and straight-line movements.

What are the different types of thread milling tools?

When you are ready to use a thread mill, you will see there are a few different types of thread milling tools you can pick from. I have used most of them over the years. Each kind has things it is good at. The best thread milling tool for your work will depend on what kind of job you are doing.

Here is a list of the main kinds:

• Single-Profile Thread Mills: I use these the most because they can do many things. They have one line of cutting teeth. The great part about this kind of thread mill is that you can use a single tool to cut a thread with different pitches. They are wonderful for small jobs and for making special or uncommon threads. They are very exact, but they are a bit slower. This is because they only cut one small part of the thread at a time.
• Multi-Profile Thread Mills: These tools have many lines of cutting teeth that are set for a certain thread pitch. They can cut the full length of the thread in one 360-degree move. This makes them much quicker for jobs with many parts. The only bad part is that each thread mill works for only one thread pitch.
• Helical Flute Thread Mills: These are my top choice for getting a very smooth finish on the surface. The helical flute thread design helps to lower the cutting force and stop