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Milltronics' Machine Shop Insights
Simplifying Helical Interpolation with Your Milltronics Control
With all of the options and canned cycles available in Milltronics conversational programming platform, some users can go years without realizing there’s an easier way to perform a process. One such feature is the thread milling cycle, which automatically incorporates helical interpolation to streamline holemaking and threading.
Bill Miracco, Regional Sales Manager
What is helical interpolation?
Put simply, it’s coordinating movement of the X, Y and Z axes to create a helix. The process proves very effective at both threading and holemaking.
When does helical interpolation make sense for threading?
Tapping will usually be the fastest process for producing smaller threads. For large, heavy threads, many machine tools may not be able to provide the torque needed to tap them. In those instances, thread milling with helical interpolation is preferable to removing the part for a specialized process. A single 60-degree thread milling tool can be used to produce a huge variety of threads in terms of both diameters and pitches.
When does helical interpolation make sense for holemaking?
For straightforward holemaking, helical boring offers an excellent alternative for infrequently produced hole diameters. Rather than maintain stock of rarely used drills, a shop can use helical boring to efficiently and effectively create holes with an end mill. Its value really comes into focus when a shop is looking at occasionally producing large diameter holes.
Is programming helical interpolation difficult?
It may not be truly difficult, but it can be inconveniently complex on some controls. For example, the operator may have to determine how many rotations are needed to reach the bottom of the hole or thread. So if they were creating a thread that’s 1.5″ deep and requires 8 threads per inch, they would have to calculate out that its equivalent to 4,320 degrees of rotation and enter that number. They would also likely have to determine and program entry and exit arcs to ensure high-quality results.
How does Milltronics simplify programming helical interpolation?
Milltronics users have access to our thread milling cycle, which automatically generates the program for helical interpolation. A user simply enters the hole parameters, diameter of their end mill or thread mill and the, if relevant, the thread pitch or threads per inch.
Bill Miracco, Regional Sales Manager, has been serving the machine tool and job shop market for his entire career. Starting his career as an Applications Engineer, Bill has been a Milltronics Regional Sales Manager for the past 10 years. He can be reached at [email protected]