1 Which materials are suited?
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- Steel upto 1100N/mm˛
- Stainless Steel
- Copper
- Brass (max. 40% Zinc)
- Aluminium with less then 0.5%Si
- Most "exotic" alloys
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2 What do I need for M8 in 2.0mm. wall thickness?
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Required tools:
- FDMC2-TOOLHOLDER
- FD430E8-COLLET
- FD0730S-FORMDRILL
- FTM8-FORMTAP M8
- FDKSO-LUBRICANT FORMDRILL
- FTOIL-LUBRICANT FORMTAP
- REMARK: FOR A FLAT SURFACE USE A FD0730SF FLAT STYLE FORMDRILL
Machine parameters:
- Spindle speed: 2500 Rpm.
- Motor power: 1.5 Kw.
Check out our wizard page for more information about this and any other application.
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3 What is the tool life of a Formdrill?
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Tool life of a Formdrill is between 8.000 to 10.000 cycles in mild steel.
Tool life of a Formdrill is between 3.000 to 5.000 cycles in stainless
steel.
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4 Do I need special machinery?
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No, Formdrill will work on any drill press with the appropriate spindle speed and motor power. See our manual section.
CNC-machines, milling machines or drill heads are suitable for the process.
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5 Is there any lubrication necessary?
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Yes, lubrication prevents the metal from welding to the tool. It increases signifantly the tool life of both Formdrill and Formtap. Lubricating every 4 to 5 holes is sufficient in steel. In stainless steel we recommend strongly to lubricate every hole.
Important: Never use conventional lubricants or cooling fluids for drilling or tapping.
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6 Can Formdrill be used in a hand drill?
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Our advise is no. The problem with a hand drill is lack of stability and axial force. It can only work for small diameters in very thin work pieces.
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7 What about galvanized material?
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It depends the thickness and quality of the zinc layer. When very thin (3-5 micron) Formdrill will work. We advise a test in our lab.
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8 Can I get a hole without the top collar?
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The top collar is the result of material being drawn upward during the initial stage of the process. A Flat-style Formdrill is available which will remove the top collar at the same time the bushing is formed.
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9 Can I drill into solid material?
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No, We need clearance on the back side of the work piece. As we are displacing the parent material we need room for the material to flow.
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10 Where does the insert come from?
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The bushing (insert) is formed from the parent material. There are no additional components required or no material is added.
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11 How strong are the formed threads?
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Independent studies have showed that in most applications, thread strenght exceeds industry standards both in pull out and torque.
See testresults
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12 Can I use a normal machine tap (cutting tap)?
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Yes but we advise not to. The Formdrill system is preserves the parent material. Using a machine tap would remove part of the formed bushing. If a machine tap is used we advise to use a Long or Long/Flat Formdrill.
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13 Doesn't the material get work hardened?
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This depends on the material and carbon content. In steel alloys there is almost never a problem. Stainless steel may harden about 10-15%, this causes no problem for the tapping afterwards.
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14 Where does the heat come from?
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All heat is generated through friction. There is no additional heat source.
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15 What is the maximum material thickness?
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This depends on the Formdrill diameter and style. For the larger diameters the wall thickness can go upto
10-12mm.
See table
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