Powerful and Economical

Custom A-Tap Sigma spiral fluted tap takes quality and reliability to the next level in tractor component production

Marcela Rattin Bombini | OSG Sulamericana

Founded in 2003, Tecparts do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda. (Tecparts) is a part supplier for the agricultural, automotive and wind power industries. Employing 294 staff, Tecparts is located in the city of Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil, with an estimate plant area of 30,000-square-meter.

Responsible for Tecparts’ tooling, Rodrigo Amaral prepares for the machining of the welded pins. Tecparts manufactures a wide range of components for tractors with more than 400 items, including pins, bushings, joints, covers, housings, shafts, switches, levers, special screws, transmissions, among others.

Recently, Tecparts was looking to improve tool performance on the production of welded pins used in tractors for the heavy industry. Tecparts manufactures a wide range of components for tractors with more than 400 items, including pins, bushings, joints, covers, housings, shafts, switches, levers, special screws, transmissions, among others. Tecparts has been manufacturing this part since early 2018 with an annual estimate production volume of 2,500 pieces. Made of SAE-4140 steel, each welded pin requires the threading of a M30 x 3.5 single blind hole at a tapping length of 38 mm, a drill hole size of dia. 26.5 mm x 47 mm, and with a tap tolerance of 6GX. The parts are machined using a Doosan DVC-400 vertical machining center, running at a cutting speed of 8 m/min with synthetic soluble oil.

Tecparts was originally using a competitor HSS-E spiral fluted tap with TiN coating for the job but experienced calibration problems, low yield and poor tool life. After a number of visits and product introduction by OSG Sulamericana’s sales technician, Tecparts decided to put an OSG custom A-Tap A-SIGMA-OIL-SFT (D376 M30 6GX TiN) to the test.

The A-Tap Σ (sigma) is the latest addition to the A-Tap multi-purpose tap series. Developed in line with the core concept of the A-Tap series with superior chip evacuation capability, the A-Tap Σ is the new excellence for cost-effective threading applications.

The A-Tap Σ (sigma) is the latest addition to OSG’s well-known A-Tap multi-purpose tap series. Developed in line with the core concept of the A-Tap series with superior chip evacuation capability, the A-Tap Σ is the new excellence for cost-effective threading applications. The A-Tap Σ series include the A-SIGMA-SFT spiral fluted tap for blind holes and the A-SIGMA-POT spiral pointed tap for through holes. The A-Tap Σ features a sharp cutting edge to stabilize chip shape and a variable lead flute geometry to accelerate chip evacuation. Made of HSS-E and coated with TiN, the A-Tap Σ is designed to excel in a wide range of work materials and cutting conditions with excellent durability and wear resistance.

Under identical cutting parameter as the previous tooling choice, the custom A-Tap A-SIGMA-OIL-SFT is able to eliminate the calibration issue that Tecparts was troubled by. Moreover, the custom A-SIGMA-OIL-SFT is able to further increase tool life from 204 holes to 275 holes. Due to the reduction of tool changes, overall processing time can also be minimized. With this success, OSG Sulamericana today supplies 100 percent of the high performance and special taps used at the entire Tecparts production line.

OSG’s custom A-SIGMA-OIL-SFT spiral fluted tap helps improve tool performance in Tecparts’ production of welded pins used in tractors for the heavy industry, which the company produces approximately 200 to 220 pieces per month.

The A-Tap Σ not only excels in mid and high carbon steel and alloy steels, but is also suitable for mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum alloy – materials that conventional general taps often struggle with. With guaranteed reliability and simplified tool management, the A-Tap Σ is the new economical choice for a wide variety of threading applications.

For more information on OSG Sulamericana and the A-Tap Sigma series (Portuguese only)