In order to get a strong fastening and a joint that won’t pull out a screw or a nail without substantial force, construction professionals don’t drill – they tap. But they aren’t tap dancing. They’re using machines to add an extra level of security to joints and fixings.
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What Is Tapping?
Screws and bolts use a thread to make a strong connection between materials. But a thread isn’t created by drilling. It comes from tapping. A tapping machine uses quite a different action to a drill. Drilling creates a hole with smooth sides. A tapping machine uses an action which makes a thread in the side of the hole.
Bottom tapping machines cut a thread to the bottom of a hole. Taper taps gradually create a hole with a thread in materials that are prone to breaking. Plug taps add threads to holes which go through a material. Hand taps are for general-purpose projects. Spiral pointed taps are effective for deep hole tapping because they force material forward into the hole thanks to positioning threads at certain angles.
Which Type of Tapping Should You Use?
With so many different types of taps, it is not surprising that different taps need to be used with different materials and for every project. Factors such as the width and depth of a hole or whether it goes through a material influence the decision about which sort of tap should be applied.
Electric tapping machines suppliers such as http://www.cotswold-machinery-sales.co.uk/roscamat/electric-tapping-machines/ use pneumatic force and swivel arms to give adaptable speed for many tapping jobs. Machines that can fit into and be used in smaller spaces give flexibility and increase the return on investment. Many models are also portable.
Some taps are chosen because they are more appropriate for certain materials. Harder materials need a spiral tap and a lower angle of thread so that the risk of their breaking the thread when the tap is reversed and removed from the hole is reduced.
Fastener and Fixing magazine says that the EU has applied tariffs on US imports of fastening products in order to balance out the US tariffs recently imposed on EU steel and aluminium.
With industries including construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure development all expanding, demand for tapping solutions continues to grow.
