Spotlight On Tapping
by Mike McNulty, Editor, Fastener Technology International (FTI)
Taps are used to put an internal screw thread in a nut or in a hole in a precision formed part. The basics of tapping are well documented and relatively unchanging, but the fastener industry puts high demands on its taps and tapping machines: increased speed, lifetime, strength, tolerance, etc.—all at a reduced cost.
Tapping has been identified as the second most popular hole making operation, after drilling. The processes are similar in that the tool is rotated and fed axially into a hole or nut blank to create the internal thread. Normal tapping is used to make right-hand threads, while reverse tapping is for left-handed nuts or holes.