One of the many cogs involved in metal fabrication, metal tapping is integral to producing high-quality products. This article will explain the process and clarify any confusion by answering your FAQs.
What is tapping?
Tapping isn’t just lightly knocking on the metal’s surface, as you might have thought. The process involves a tap, which is a tool for creating threaded holes through which screws and bolts will be installed.
If you’ve ever unscrewed something and noticed a spiralling indentation in the space left behind, this is what tapping forms. Taps have toothed ends which carve the metal into threads as they are rotated down into it. This is commonly done in a hole that was premade by a drill. Pictures and visual explanations can be found here:
How many types of taps are there?
Taps come in three main variants:
– Taper taps, which are used for starting the threading process.
– Plug taps, which have a more gradual taper than taper taps.
– Bottoming taps, which have a slight taper used for threading in blind holes where it’s unclear exactly where the bottom is.
Each type has its specific uses dependent on the project’s needs, but most commonly: taper taps thread unfinished holes, plug taps are the general-purpose taps and bottoming taps are for blind holes.
Some of the best-performing taps available are the Roscamat electric tapping machines, which are adjustable and highly versatile. You can find out more about these machines from specialist machinery merchants such as www.cotswold-machinery-sales.co.uk/roscamat-tapping-machines/electric-tapping-machines/roscamat-tiger-electric-tapping-machine.
What are taps made of?
This question makes sense, right? If we’re threading into sturdy metals, we surely need a more powerful metal to accomplish this. Taps are most commonly made of high-speed steel, a very strong material used in drills and able to withstand high temperatures.
Cobalt is also an option, with an even higher resistance to heat, but taps will also often have teeth made up of titanium nitride, granting even more strength and cutting capabilities. The tap material can also vary depending on the project, as specific metals will provide greater results or work better with other metals.
