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Tapped Holes On Punch Press...Effortlessly
by Andy Spence-Parsons
Marketing Manager
Mate Precision
Tooling
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| Mate EasyTap Tooling produces threaded holes in sheet metal at high speed, automatically and with repeatable quality. |
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| Mate EasyTap produces high quality threads in punched thick material and in thin material with extruded holes. |
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| Mate EasyTap thread tapping operation is accomplished automatically through a coordinated rotation of the turret press auto index station and the ram stroke. |
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| Mate EasyTap has robust design and construction with hardened guides for long life operation. |
Enabling fabricators to maximize the productivity,
efficiency, and capabilities of their sheet metal operation
is the primary focus of Mate Precision Tooling. A recent
demonstration of this focus is the introduction of the new
Mate EasyTap™ thread tapping system.
Mate EasyTap™ is a unique
tool system that extends the punching capabilities of today's
CNC punch presses by producing precisely located threaded
holes at high speed, automatically and with repeatable quality.
Mate EasyTap™ thread tapping system enables sheet
metal fabricators to produce threaded holes in all types
of sheet metal in thick turret punch presses such as a Finn-Power.
Because
Mate EasyTap produces threaded holes on the punch press,
there is no need for secondary tapping operations either
by hand or with adjacent machines. Mate EasyTap also eliminates
the need for expensive threaded hardware such as self-clinching
fasteners and captive nuts. The threaded holes are produced
in pre-punched holes or in extruded holes precisely located
on the sheet metal.
The Mate EasyTap thread tapping system
is designed to operate in thick turret presses equipped with
auto index stations, programmable ram depth capability, and
suitable software. All of these requirements are available
on the latest generation of Finn-Power punch presses. The
thread tapping operation is accomplished automatically through
a coordinated rotation of the turret press auto-index station
and the ram stroke. The tooling will produce a full range
of threaded hole diameters in most materials including stainless
steel, mild steel, and aluminum.
Exceptional Versatility
Mate EasyTap thread
tapping system uses standard roll taps and Bilz brand collets,
which are commonly available from the users' preferred
hardware vendor. Standard roll taps are significantly more
cost effective than using dedicated custom taps. By combining
Bilz brand collets and standard roll taps, nearly 40 different
thread size and tap shank standard combinations can be
accommodated in a single assembly. The range covers both
metric and inch thread sizes, with DIN 371, ANSI/ASME,
ISO 529, and JIS tap shank standards. For added convenience,
collet kits are available from Mate. This exceptional versatility
and cost effectiveness is a major benefit of the Mate EasyTap
thread tapping system.
Simple Operation
Set-up and installation of
the Mate EasyTap thread tapping system is very easy and requires
limited operator training.
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| Mate EasyTap Tooling
is fast to setup and install. It has a design that uses
standard taps and Bilz brand collets. |
The Mate EasyTap thread tapping
system is installed into a single 1-1/4" auto-index
station. The press is programmed to punch a pre-pierced
hole wherever a threaded hole is required. These holes
can also be extruded, prior to tapping to provide additional
thread length. This is especially useful when producing
components in thin materials. The punch press is then
programmed to position each pre-pierced hole or extrusion
under the auto-index station. As the auto-index station rotates
in a clockwise direction, the machine ram descends to feed
the tap into the hole. Once the thread is complete, the
auto-index station reverses, the ram retracts, the tap
clears the sheet metal, and the press moves onto the
next hole. Once the sheet metal part is programmed, and the
EasyTap assembly is installed, the entire process is
fully automatic and requires no operator intervention. This
makes Mate EasyTap ideal for FMS cells and other "lights-out" operations.
The
quick-change features of the Mate EasyTap thread tapping
system are designed to ensure maximum productivity. Once
the Mate EasyTap assembly is removed from the press, the
tap can be replaced (or the thread size changed) in less
than 60 seconds. A simple push-button releases the length-adjustment
assembly. A spring-loaded sleeve releases the collet and
tap. The new collet and tap lock into the length-adjustment
assembly, which is then reinstalled into the EasyTap assembly.
Finally the push-button length-adjustment device is used
to set the new tap to the appropriate length ready for immediate
operation.
Additional Design Features
Additional important
EasyTap features include: automatic lubrication system
that dispenses a pre-set amount of lubrication to the
tap point with each tapping cycle; built-in lubrication level
sight gauge; pre-pierce hole "miss protection" prevents
tool and part damage in the absence of a pre-pierced
hole; lower tool assembly with integral ball bearings
prevents under-sheet marking; precision machined guides
made from hardened tool steel for accurate, long-life
operation; supplied with compact table-top setup and
storage stand to protect tooling and make setup easy.
Cost-Effective
Manufacturability
According to Frank Baeumler, Vice President,
Marketing for Mate Precision Tooling, Mate EasyTap is
the company's most significant new application
tooling design because it adds broad versatility to existing
turret press capabilities with only nominal tool investment.
"Mate EasyTap tooling system gives the product
designer a new option for more cost-effective manufacturability," Baeumler
reported. "This tool totally
eliminates the need for secondary tapping operations. Sheets requiring
integral threaded holes can have these holes produced on
the punch press with all the CNC accuracy of the press. Since
this is a tool, it can be installed into the press when the
job requires taps, and then can be removed from the press
when the station is needed for other punching requirements.
The resulting threaded holes have extra holding strength
when fastening components since the parts are assembled directly
to one another."
Mate EasyTap is an ideal addition to Mate's
other application specific tooling for producing hinges,
bends, interlocking components and custom markings, to name
just a few. All of these features can be fabricated on a
single punch press automatically with high speed and repeatable
quality when tooled with Mate. For more information on Mate
EasyTap thread tapping system, please visit www.mate.com/easytap.
For more information,
please contact:
Mate Precision Tooling
1295 Lund Boulevard
Anoka, MN 55303
Phone: 800-328-4492
Phone: 763-421-0230
Fax: 800-541-0285
Fax: 763-421-0285
www.matept.com
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710
Remington Road 
Volume
14 Issue 2 -
December 2004