TABLE OF CONTENTS Threading is a machining process used to produce a helical groove of a particular shape, usually on a cylinder. The major purpose of threads is to connect two parts together without damage during joining and disjoining (assembly and disassembly). The most common applications of threading fall into four major categories:
| screws and nuts |
| micrometer barrel |
| lead screw, camera lenses |
| lifting or supporting jacks |
A thread cutting is a very versatile manufacturing process. There are two main groups of thread production - metal cutting and plastic molding. It should not be a surprise that it is the plastic molding method that dominates the manufacturing industry. Given the number of detergent bottles, pop bottles and other plastic products we consume, the number of threaded products employing this method is astronomical.
In the metalworking area of thread production, the group that is the subject of special interest, there are smaller several subgroups:
Thread rolling or thread forming
Tapping and die work
Thread milling
Thread grinding
Single point thread turning
For a typical CNC programmer, the areas of interest are usually confined to the tapping, milling and single point threading. Methods for tapping operations have been described in Chapters 25 and 26, thread milling is described in Chapter 45. This chapter covers programming methods described as single point threading.
