Thread Manufacturing and Finishing Processes

(i) General Applications Of Screw Threads

The general applications of various objects having screw threads are :

 fastening : screws, nut-bolts and studs having screw threads are used for
temporarily fixing one part on to another part
 joining : e.g., co-axial joining of rods, tubes etc. by external and internal
screw threads at their ends or separate adapters
 clamping : strongly holding an object by a threaded rod, e.g., in c-clamps,
vices, tailstock on lathe bed etc.
 controlled linear movement : e.g., travel of slides (tailstock barrel,
compound slide, cross slide etc.) and work tables in milling machine,
shaping machine, cnc machine tools and so on.
 transmission of motion and power : e.g., lead screws of machine tools
 converting rotary motion to translation : rotation of the screw causing
linear travel of the nut, which have wide use in machine tool kinematic
systems
 position control in instruments : e.g., screws enabling precision
movement of the work table in microscopes etc.
 precision measurement of length : e.g., the threaded spindle of
micrometers and so on.
 acting as worm for obtaining slow rotation of gear or worm wheel
 exerting heavy force : e.g., mechanical presses
 conveying and squeezing materials : e.g., in screw conveyor, injection
moulding machine, screw pump etc.
 controlled automatic feeding in mass production assembly etc.

(ii) Classification Of Screw Threads

Screw threads having various applications can be classified as follows
:
 According to location
o external screw thread (on bolts etc.)
o internal screw thread (in nuts etc.)
 According to configuration
o straight (helical) – most common, e.g., bolts, studs etc.
o taper (helical), e.g., in drill chuck
o radial (scroll) as in self centering chuck
 According to the direction of the helix
o right hand (common)
o left hand (occasionally)
 According to form
o vee thread (600 or 550 angle) – most common

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 o acme thread (290)
o square thread (generally in power screws)
o buttress thread (45o)
o worm thread (290 ~ 400)
o semicircular (groove section) thread being used in recirculating
type bolts, screws.
 According to standard
o BSW (British Standard Whitworth); thread – size is designated
by TPI (threads per inch)
o metric thread; thread size is specified by pitch or lead (in mm)
 According to number of start
o single start – most common
o multi-start (2 to 4)
 According to spacing of threads
o TPI (no. of threads per inch), e.g. 12 TPI
o pitch (or lead) – distance between two successive threads (or
length of travel of the nut for one rotation of the screw), in mm
 According to compactness or fineness of threads
o general threads (with usually wide thread spacing), pipe threads
(more densed desired)
o fine threads (generally for leak proof)
 According to segmentation
o full threads (common)
o half turns as in half nuts
o sector thread – e.g., in the jaws of lathe chucks.

(iii) Production Of Screw Threads – Possible Methods

And Their Characteristics.
The various methods, which are more or less widely employed for producing
screw threads are :
 Casting
characteristics;
o only a few threads over short length
o less accuracy and poor finish
o example – threads at the mouth of glass bottles, spun cast iron
pipes etc.
 Forming (Rolling)
characteristics;
o blanks of strong ductile metals like steels are rolled between
threaded dies
o large threads are hot rolled followed by finishing and smaller
threads are straight cold rolled to desired finish
o cold rolling attributes more strength and toughness to the
threaded parts
o widely used for mass production of fasteners like bolts, screws
etc.
 Removal process (Machining)
o accomplished by various cutting tools in different machine tools
like lathes, milling machines, drilling machines (with tapping
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 attachment) etc.
o widely used for high accuracy and finish
o employed for wide ranges of threads and volume of production;
from piece to mass production.
 Semifinishing and finishing (Grinding)
characteristics :
o usually done for finishing (accuracy and surface) after
performing by machining or hot rolling but are often employed
for direct threading on rods
o precision threads on hard or surface hardened components are
finshed or directly produced by grinding only
o employed for wide ranges of type and size of threads and
volume of production
 Precision forming to near – net – shape
characteristics :
o no machining is required, slight grinding is often done, if needed
for high accuracy and finish
o application – investment casting for job order or batch production
– injection moulding (polymer) for batch or mass production
 Non conventional process (EDM, ECM etc)
characteristics :
o when conventional methods are not feasible
o high precision and micro threads are needed
o material is as such difficult – to – process

(Iv) Processes, Machines And Tools Used For Producing

Screw Threads By;
(a) Machining
(b) Rolling
(c) Grinding
(a) Production of screw threads by machining

Machining is basically a removal process where jobs of desired size and shape
are produced by gradually removing the excess material in the form of chips
with the help of sharp cutting edges or tools. Screw threads can be produced
by such removal process both manually using taps and dies as well as in
machine tools of different types and degree of automation. In respect of
process, machine and tool, machining of screw threads are done by several
ways :

 Thread cutting by hand operated tools

Usually small threads in few pieces of relatively soft ductile materials, if
required, are made manually in fitting, repair or maintenance shops.
 External screw threads
Machine screws, bolts or studs are made by different types of dies
which look and apparently behave like nuts but made of hardened tool
steel and having sharp internal cutting edges. Fig. 7.1.1 shows the

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 hand operated dies of common use, which are coaxially rotated
around the premachined rod like blank with the help of handle or die
stock.

 Solid or button die : used for making threads of usually small

pitch and diameter in one pass.
 Spring die : the die ring is provided with a slit, the width of which
is adjustable by a screw to enable elastically slight reduction in
the bore and thus cut the thread in number of passes with
lesser force on hands.
 Split die : the die is made in two pieces, one fixed and one
movable (adjustable) within the cavity of the handle or wrench
to enable cut relatively larger threads or fine threads on harder
blanks easily in number of passes, the die pieces can be
replaced by another pair for cutting different threads within
small range of variation in size and pitch.
 Pipe die : pipe threads of large diameter but smaller pitch are cut
by manually rotating the large wrench (stock) in which the die is
fitted through a guide bush as shown in Fig. 7.1.1.

(a) solid die (c) split die

(b) spring die (d) pipe die

Fig. 7.1.1 Different types of thread cutting dies.

 Internal screw threads :

Internal screw threads of usually small size are cut manually, if
needed, in plates, blocks, machine parts etc. by using taps which
look and behave like a screw but made of tool steel or HSS and
have sharp cutting edges produced by axial grooving over the
threads as shown in Fig. 7.1.2. Three taps namely, taper tap, plug
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 tap and bottoming tap are used consecutively after drilling a tap
size hole through which the taps are axially pushed helically with
the help of a handle or wrench.

Fig. 7.1.2 Hand operated taps for cutting internal threads.

Threads are often tapped by manually rotating and feeding the taps through
the drilled hole in the blank held in lathe spindle as shown in Fig. 7.1.3.
The quality of such external and internal threads will depend upon the
perfection of the taps or dies and skill of the operator.
handle

job
tap

Fig. 7.1.3 Hand operated tapping in centre lathe.

 Machining screw threads in machine tools

Threads of fasteners in large quantity and precision threads in batches or lots
are produced in different machine tools mainly lathes, by various cutting tools
made of HSS or often cemented carbide tools.

 Machining screw threads in lathes

Screw threads in wide ranges of size, form, precision and volume are
produced in lathes ranging from centre lathes to single spindle
automats. Threads are also produced in special purpose lathes and
CNC lathes including turning centres.

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  In centre lathes

o External threads :
External threads are produced in centre lathes by various methods :
 Single point and multipoint chasing, as schematically
shown in Fig. 7.1.4 This process is slow but can provide
high quality. Multipoint chasing gives more productivity but
at the cost of quality to some extent

work speed work speed

tool feed
tool feed
(a) single point (b) multipoint

Fig. 7.1.4 External threading in lathe by chasing.

 Thread milling:
This process gives quite fast production by using suitable
thread milling cutters in centre lathes as indicated in Fig.
The milling attachment is mounted on the saddle of
the lathe. Thread milling is of two types;

Fig. 7.1.5 Thread milling by attachment in centre lathes.

 Long thread milling

Long and large diameter screws like machine lead
screws are reasonably accurately made by using a
large disc type form milling cutter as shown in Fig.
7.1.5.
 Short thread milling
Threads of shorter length and fine pitch are machined at
high production rate by using a HSS milling cutter having
a number of annular threads with axial grooves cut on it
for generating cutting edges. Each job requires only
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 around 1.25 revolution of the blank and very short axial
(1.25 pitch) and radial (1.5 pitch) travel of the rotating
tool

 Rotating tool
Often it becomes necessary to machine large threads on
one or very few pieces of heavy blanks of irregular size and
shape like heavy casting or forging of odd size and shape.
In such cases, the blank is mounted on face plate in a
centre lathe with proper alignment. The deep and wide
threads are produced by intermittent cutting action by a
rotating tool. A separate attachment carrying the rotating
tool is mounted on the saddle and fed as usual by the
leadscrew of the centre lathe. Fig. 7.1.6 shows
schematically the principles of threading by rotary tools. The
tool is rotated fast but the blank much slowly. This
intermittent cut enables more effective lubrication and
cooling of the tool.

Fig. 7.1.6 Thread cutting in centre lathe by rotating tools.

Internal threads :

Internal threads are produced in centre lathes at slow rate by using;

 Single point tool
 Machine taps
 Internal thread milling

 Internal threading by single point chasing

Internal threads in parts of wide ranges of diameter and pitch are accurately
done in centre lathes by single point tool, as in boring, as shown in Fig.
(a). Multipoint flat chaser is often used for faster production.

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 (a) (b)

(c)

Fig. 7.1.7 (a) single point tool , (b) solid tap and (c) milling cutter for
internal threading in centre lathe.
 Internal threading by taps
Internal threads of small length and diameter are cut in drilled holes by
different types of taps;
 Straight solid tap (Fig. 7.1.7 (b) – used for small jobs
 Taps with adjustable blades – usually for large diameter jobs
 Taper or nut taps – used for cutting threads in nuts.

 Internal thread milling cutter

Such solid cutter, shown in Fig. 7.1.7 (c) produces internal threads very
rapidly, as in external short thread milling, in lathes or special purpose
thread milling machine.

 Machining threads in semiautomatic lathes

Both external and internal threads are cut, for batch or small lot production, in
capstan and turret lathes using different types of thread cutting tools;

 External threads in capstan lathe by self opening die and single or

multipoint chaser in turret lathe
 Internal threads of varying size by collapsible tap.
The self opening die, typically shown in Fig. 7.1.8 (a), is mounted
in the turret and moved forward towards the rotating blank. At the
end point, when the turret slows down and is about to stop or
reverse, the front position of the die gets pulled and open
automatically to enable free return of the die without stopping the
job – rotation. The thread chasers may be flat or circular type as
shown.

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 In a collapsible tap, shown in Fig. 7.1.8 (b), the radially raised
blades collapse (move radially inward) and the tap returns (along
with the turret or saddle) freely from the threaded hole after
completing the internal thread in one stroke.

(a) (b)

Fig. 7.1.8 Cutting (a) external and (b) internal threads in capstan
and turret lathes.
 Machining threads in automatic lathes

Small external threads for mass production of fasteners are produced by

machining in single spindle automatic lathes or similar but special purpose
(threading) lathes using solid die. The die is mounted on the coaxially moving
turret or sliding attachment in turret lathes and SPM respectively.
In turret lathe, the solid die is returned by reversing the job rotation, and in
the special purpose machine, the die is freely returned by rotating the die
slightly faster than the job and in the same direction.

 Machining screw threads in drilling machine

Drilling machines are used basically for originating cylindrical holes but are
also used, if needed, for enlarging drilled holes by larger drills, counterboring,
countersinking etc. Internal threads of relatively smaller diameter, length and
pitch are also often produced in drilling machines by using tapping
attachment with its taper shank fitted axially in the spindle bore. Fig. 7.1.9
typically shows one such tapping attachment.

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 Fig. 7.1.9 Tapping attachment for machining internal threads
in drilling machines.

The tapping attachment is pushed slowly inside the drilled hole at low speed
for cutting threads and at the end of this stroke, it is withdrawn slowly by
rotating in reversed direction. Just at the point of start of return, the lower part
of the attachments momentarily gets delinked from the upper part and is then
up and rotated respectively by the spring and the clutch as shown in
Fig. 7.1.9 to move at per with the upper part fitted into the spindle. This is
necessary for the safe return of the tap without damaging the through or blind
hole. Threading of small identical components like nuts for its mass
production is also possible and done in general purpose drilling machines by
using special attachment as shown in Fig. 7.1.10. The taper tap is connected
with a bent rod which is made to rotate at high speed along with the spindle
causing rotation of the tap at the same speed. The blanks are automatically
pushed intermittently under the tap and after threading the tap returns but
along with the threaded nut. Finally the accumulated nuts are thrown out form
the rod by centrifugal force to come out from the hopper as shown.

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 Fig. 7.1.10 Threading of nuts in drilling machine by
special tapping attachment.

(b) Production of screw threads by thread rolling

In production of screw threads, compared to machining thread rolling,

 is generally cold working process
 provides higher strength to the threads
 does not cause any material loss
 does not require that high accuracy and finish of the blank
 requires simpler machines and tools
 applicable for threads of smaller diameter, shorter length and finer
pitch
 enables much faster production of small products like screws, bolts,
studs etc.
 cannot provide that high accuracy
 is applicable for relatively softer metals
 is used mostly for making external screw threads
 needs separate dies for different threads

Thread rolling is accomplished by shifting work material by plastic

deformation, instead of cutting or separation, with the help of a pair of dies
having same threads desired..
Different types of dies and methods are used for thread rolling which include,
 Thread rolling between two flat dies
 Thread rolling between a pair of circular dies
 Thread rolling by sector dies
o Rolling of external screw threads by flat dies

The basic principle is schematically shown in Fig. 7.1.11. Flat dies; one fixed
and the other moving parallely, are used in three configurations :

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  Horizontal : most convenient and common
 Vertical : occupies less space and facilitates cleaning and
lubrication under gravity
 Inclined : derives benefit of both horizontal and vertical
features

All the flat dies are made of hardened cold die steel and provided with linear
parallel threads like grooves of geometry as that of the desired thread.

Fig. 7.1.11 Principle of thread rolling by flat dies.

o Thread rolling by circular dies

Circular die sets occupy less space and are simpler in design, construction,
operation and maintenance. The different types of thread rolling circular dies
of common use and their working methods are :

 Circular dies with plunge (radial) feed :

The two identical circular dies with parallel axis are rotated in
the same direction and speed as indicated in Fig. 7.1.12. One
stays fixed in a position the other is moved radially desirably
depending upon the thread depth

Fig. 7.1.12 Principle of thread rolling by circular die with plunge feed

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  Circular die with inherent radial feed :
Here the forced penetration of the threads in the blank is
accomplished not by radial shifting of one of the dies but
gradual projection of the thread in archemedian spiral over an
angle on one of the dies as indicated in Fig. 7.1.13. This makes
the system simpler by eliminating a linear motion.
blank feed spiral sector

circular sector

die
die
work rest
collecting pocket
product

Fig. 7.1.13 Thread rolling by spiral feed circular die.

 Thread rolling in the annular space between two dies ;

In this simpler system and process the outer die remains fixed
and the inner one rotates as shown in Fig. 7.1.14. Because of
simple construction and motions, this method is more
productive but limited to smaller jobs.

loading zone

release zone

working zone

Fig. 7.1.14 Thread rolling in the annular space between two circular dies.

 Thread rolling by circular die sector

This method, schematically shown in Fig. 7.1.15, is the
simplest and fastest way of thread rolling enabling easy auto-
feed of the blanks.

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 Fine internal threads on large diameter and unhard metals may
also be done, if needed, by using a screw like threaded tool
which will be rotated and pressed parallely against the inner
cylindrical wall of the product.

blank feed central rotating die

stationary
die sector

product

Fig. 7.1.15 Thread rolling by sector circular die

(c) Finishing and production of screw threads by grinding

In production of screw threads, grinding is employed for two purposes;

 Finishing the threads after machining or even rolling when

o High dimensional and form accuracy as well as surface finsh
are required, e.g., screw threads of precision machines and
measuring instruments
o The threaded parts are essentially hardened and cannot be
machined or rolled further, e.g., leadscrews of machine tools,
press – screws etc.
 Directly originating (cutting) and simultaneously finishing threads in
any hard or soft preformed blanks. This is employed generally for finer
threads of small pitch on large and rigid blanks

However screw threads are ground in several methods which include;

 External and internal thread grinding by single ribbed formed

grinding wheel as schematically shown in Fig. 7.1.16 (a). Such
grinding is usually done in cylindrical grinding machine but is also
occasionally done in rigid centre lathes by mounting a grinding
attachment like thread milling attachment, on the lathe’s saddle.
 Multi-ribbed wheels save grinding time by reducing the length of
travel of the wheel but raises wheel cost. Fig. 7.1.16 (b) shows
such thread grinding with both fully covered and alternate ribbing.

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 wheel speed
wheel speed

feed
feed

work speed work speed

(a) single rib wheel (b) multiple rib wheel

Fig. 7.1.16 Grinding of external screw threads.

 External threads by centreless grinding

Like centreless grinding of short and long rods by plunge feed and
through feed respectively, centreless thread grinding is also done
by ribbed grinding wheel using respectively parallel and desirably
inclined plain guide wheels. Centreless grinding, if feasible, is
more productive but at the cost of accuracy to some extent.

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