A New Broaching Approach

In keeping with its continuous improvement culture, Rable Machine continually searches for cutting tools that can help minimize cycle times and/or achieve tighter tolerances.

Sidebar From: 12/21/2010 Modern Machine Shop

In keeping with its continuous improvement culture, Rable Machine continually searches for cutting tools that can help minimize cycle times and/or achieve tighter tolerances. The atypical broaching tool shown here is a good example. The shop discovered this tool at the biennial Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS) which takes place in April in Columbus, Ohio. Developed by Razorform Tools (Playa del Rey, California), the indexable-insert-style broaching tool enables users to lock a lathe’s spindle into position and rapidly drive the tool at very small cutting depths to create keyways and slots. This improves feature-to-feature accuracy, reduces the amount of time for handling and setup, and can eliminate the need for specialized keyseaters. In addition, because the tool body can remain installed in the lathe’s turret during insert indexing or replacement, it is unnecessary to re-zero the tool after the change.

At Rable Machine, the tool is particularly effective for these components that comprise a turbine unit. The keyway for these parts must be precisely located relative to the curved vanes around the part’s OD. Position accuracy of the keyway relative to the vanes is possible because turning, milling and broaching are completed in one chucking. Although the tool removes only 0.0015 inch of material per pass, it does this at 300 ipm. As a result, broaching time for these aluminum parts is only 2 minutes.

Click here for another article about these tools.