Aluminum alloys are popular in numerous industries — from aerospace to automotive — because they offer a high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. Tapping threads in aluminum components, however, presents unique challenges. Because aluminum is relatively soft and “gummy,” it can lead to issues such as poor chip evacuation, built-up edge (BUE) and inconsistent thread finish. Understanding how to overcome these hurdles is key to producing reliable, high-quality threads.
