EMUGE, manufacturer of thread cutting and clamping tools in the EMUGE-FRANKEN company group, presented at AMB fair in Germany an innovative thread technology. The Punch Tap technology shortens significantly the cycle times of thread production while reducing energy consumption.

The innovative technology “Helical-Thread Forming” is based on cooperation with AUDI AG and researches of the ISF Institute at Technical University Dortmund.
The Punch in professional boxing with its speed and precision gave the idea for the name Punch Tap.

Basic idea for the new technology was the thinking, a significant time saving can only reached when the tool path will be shorten. Assuming that, a new kinematics had to be found where the threading tool will not follow anymore with its movements along the conventional thread geometry.

New Kinematics for Thread Production

Precondition for the new kinematics is a pre-drilled tap hole in the workpiece with the respective pre-drill diameter. The Punch Tap does not have a continuous thread profile on the circumference but two rows of teeth which are offset by 180°. Three steps characterize the new thread technology.

The first tooth of each teeth-row is responsible for producing a groove. The helical plunge into the pre-drilled tap hole generates to helical grooves in the bore hole.
Once the Punch Tap has reached the depth of the thread, the forming of the thread starts. It is executed by a synchronous movement of the feed axis by half of the pitch while simultaneously rotating the tool by approximately 180°. After this rotation, the thread forming process is finished. The Punch Tap retracts from the hole through the generated grooves and the result is a thread with two helical grooves.

EMUGE Punch Tap –The Shortest Way

When comparing the tool path of the EMUGE Punch Tap with the tool path of conventional taps or cold-forming taps, the path is approximately 15 times shorter for a thread M6 with a thread depth of 15mm. It results in significant time saving up to 75% of threading cycle.

The use in series production will be initially exclusive at one of the cooperation partners in components made of cast aluminium. After a while the technology will be offered to all interested parties.