Thread milling more than diameter with same tool?

[SDI-Gary]

Is it possible to cut different diameter internal threads with the same thread mill? Here is my scenario...

M12x1.5 Tap Hole
M16x1.5 Tap Hole
M22x1.5 Tap Hole
M30x1.5 Tap Hole

Currently we have four different taps for these jobs. Material is always 6061-T6 aluminum. I would really like to be able to mill these with a tool meant for the M12x1.5 thread. Is this possible or will the thread flanks not form correctly?

Thanks in advance!

--Gary

 

[Sub-Micron]

Yes. As long as you have the LOC.

 

[elliotc]

As long as the thread form is the same on all diameters, then yes. This is one of the great advantages of thread milling: Versatility and less tool changes in the cycle.

I don't have a lot of experience with metric threads, so maybe somebody else can jump in and give a for sure yes or no.

 

[RJT]

Yes, we do it all the time. You give up a little rigidity using the smaller sizes for larger holes, but it works fine.

 

[Hertz]

You can cut any thread with the same threadmill as long as the pitch and profile are the same, that being said for multi tooth cutters. Single point cutters will cut any pitch as long as the v profile is identical. Threadmilling is very versatile as elliotc mentioned.

 

[gorrilla]

Yea, we cut 1/2x14 NPT and 3/4x14 NPT with the same tool all the time. Long as your thread pitch and form are the same, it's simply a matter of programming. Since the thread depth is going to stay the same in the same pitch, tool pushoff isn't a problem. Just program for whatever depth of cut your machine will handle and have at it. This is assuming of course that the tool extension is the same, as in depth of the hole to be threaded. In aluminum, you should be able to do wonderfully. Nice thing about thread milling, with a bit of experimentation and experience, you can make all your threads start at the same position, which makes for a lot easier job on blunt start threads. Plus you can vary the pitch diameter by whatever the smallest increment on your mill is. I really like milled threads.

 

[SDI-Gary]

Great! Thanks for the good info guys.

These are all the same threads. Just different diameters. We don't do that many of them. Having a single tool instead of four would be a great solution.

--Gary