Prototyp Prototex Eco Plus Tap

December 13, 2013
Prototyp Prototex Eco Plus Tap

New Prototyp Prototex Eco Plus from Walter is a through-hole tap that delivers superior performance and tool life, according to the company. Designed for through-hole threads up to 3.5xD, it is manufactured from HSS-E-PM and can be used on steel, stainless steel, and cast iron and non-ferrous metals such as aluminum and copper. This versatility allows it to be used on an exceptionally wide range of products, which can reduce tool inventory and costs.

The Prototyp Prototex Eco Plus features a new type of pre-treatment which yields an improved surface. This provides improved adhesion of the THL hard material coating. This results in significant increases in performance as well as longer tool life. Tests have shown tool life increases of between 25 and 60 percent, depending on the application. In addition, an optimized geometry in the chamfer section increases process reliability. This characteristic is extremely important as thread cutting is often the final operation in machining a workpiece, which previously may have undergone several operations.

The versatility of the tap is enhanced by the fact that Walter offers this new tool in several different designs. For example, it can be supplied with internal cooling and a radial coolant outlet; TiN coating is available as an alternative to its standard THL hard material coating; and a left-hand version is available as are the four tolerance classes, 6HX, 6GX, 2B and G-X. A number of thread profiles and sizes are available, including metric threads M2 to M30, metric fine threads M6x0.75 to M22x1.5 and inch threads from 18" to 1".

Related Glossary Terms

  • coolant

    coolant

    Fluid that reduces temperature buildup at the tool/workpiece interface during machining. Normally takes the form of a liquid such as soluble or chemical mixtures (semisynthetic, synthetic) but can be pressurized air or other gas. Because of water’s ability to absorb great quantities of heat, it is widely used as a coolant and vehicle for various cutting compounds, with the water-to-compound ratio varying with the machining task. See cutting fluid; semisynthetic cutting fluid; soluble-oil cutting fluid; synthetic cutting fluid.

  • tap

    tap

    Cylindrical tool that cuts internal threads and has flutes to remove chips and carry tapping fluid to the point of cut. Normally used on a drill press or tapping machine but also may be operated manually. See tapping.

  • through-hole

    through-hole

    Hole or cavity cut in a solid shape that connects with other holes or extends all the way through the workpiece.

  • titanium nitride ( TiN)

    titanium nitride ( TiN)

    Added to titanium-carbide tooling to permit machining of hard metals at high speeds. Also used as a tool coating. See coated tools.

  • tolerance

    tolerance

    Minimum and maximum amount a workpiece dimension is allowed to vary from a set standard and still be acceptable.