Re: Automatic boring head?

Joe,

There are several possibilities here. If, as you say, it doesn't
reverse WITHIN the holder mechanism, it is probably:

1) A simple "floating" tap holder. Which means that the tap can move
axially in and out of the holder (while still engaged to drive). This
is so that the TAP is cutting the lead IT wants to, not the CNC
(which might not be "in sync" with the lead of the tap). This is used
with a cnc machine which can stop, start, and reverse its' spindle
quickly.

2) Same as above, but with a length setting (at which point the drive
WILL disengage) Used when the spindle is NOT easily stopped/reversed.

1a & 2a) either of the above "could" have torque limiting too.

3) Could be a simple torque-limiting clutch only, as you suspect.
This would be used for rigid tapping (an expensive CNC option which
means the machine feeds and the spindle rotates in a precisely
coordinated way to cut a true thread, much as a lathe with a
leadscrew and gearing from the spindle. (this technique IS using the
CNC to set the lead of the thread)

Hope this helps.

Ballendo

P.S. If it DOES reverse within the housing, you have other options as
to what it is...

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Joe Vicars <jvicars@c...> wrote:
> There is another tool that I have which I dont' know what it does.
It is an Erickson tap holder for CNC. Is this just a torque
> clutch arrangement? I dont' think it reverses like a regular
tapping head.
<snip>