“This has really helped solve many end users’ issues with programming.”

Carmex redesigned its proprietary software about three years ago. We are forever discussing programming and the methodology of learning to thread mill,” he noted, particularly when interacting with industry-standard Mastercam. “Ten years ago, I had people flat out tell me that thread milling doesn’t work. When White joined Carmex in 2007, thread mills were “a specialty item.” Occasionally he still encounters a customer who has not used them. Recent additions to its portfolio-the AMT, FMT and Slim MT-continue that tradition.

The company has quietly played a central role in thread mill innovation and adoption for several years, according to National Sales Manager Jim White, a longtime advocate of this tooling segment. Some new tool offerings extend thread milling’s value into difficult-to-machine materials.Ī good example of inventive thread mill tools are those offered by Carmex Precision Tools LLC, Richfield, Wis. While hole tapping remains a go-to process, thread milling has become a well-established and accepted option, particularly for low-volume, high-precision applications. Thread mills cut threads with a cutting head typically smaller than the hole, unlike taps that are sized to match the hole diameter. When it’s time to put threads in parts, particularly those made of difficult-to-machine materials, thread mills are often the right choice. The single plane cutting tool features three rows of cutting teeth. Thread milling has proved its value for some time-particularly for the complex parts common in medical device and aerospace industries The ZGF-S-Cut by Emuge is tailored for hard metals and exotic materials common in aerospace and medical applications and is designed to resist cuts or fractures.

Mastercam thread milling