Computer Aided Design and Analysis of Tapping Tool with Diametrical flexibility

Tapping operation which refers to production of internal threads forms an integral part of any machine shop and it is intended to provide semi permanent fastening to the components of product so as to lend themselves for repairs and replacements. Though various methods of internal threading are available such as internal threading by milling, grinding or forming but internal threading by metal cutting which employs a tapping tool is indeed the mostly used for products where accuracy forms the base of evaluation. Last few decades have seen the growth of automobile industries and has resulted in development of its allied operations of which tapping is one of the crucial operation performed. The conventional tapping operation which surely involves rotating the tool and feeding past the pre drilled hole to create the contours called as internal threads and this is followed by withdrawal of tapping tool by reversing it with aid of rotational energy. The present paper attempts to design and analyze a tapping tool which will have no requirement of reversing of tool at the end of cutting operation which is essentially done by changing the design of conventional solid tap. The solid tapping tool is divided into two parts along the longitudinal axis and a mechanism is prompted to give the two parts actuation which would shrink at the end of cutting operation to be dragged out of hole without damaging the machined surface and providing the diametrical flexibility to engulf other diameters to be machined. This tapping tool with diametrical flexibility is designed in CAD tool named as CATIA V5 and efficiently analyzed by using FEA technique which is the working phenomenon for ANSYS.