BROACHING
HISTORY
The concept of broaching can be
traced back to the early 1850s,
with the first applications used
for cutting keyways in pulleys
and gears. After World War 1,
broaching was used to rifle gun
barrels when the 1920s and 30s
the tolerances were tightened.
Broach
es
Broaching
Broaching is the process of removing metal
with a tool which has “teeth” arranged in a
row. Each tooth is successively higher than
the previous tooth and removes more
material. In broaching, one stroke or cycle
of the machine produces a finished part.
Broaching is used to produce both internal
and external features. Production rates are
high and tolerances of +/- .0005” are
possible.
Broaching
Broaching
Broaching
Broaching
Chip Formation
Chip formation involves three basic requirements:
The cutting tool must be harder than the part
material
There must be interference between the tool
and the part as designated by the feed rate and
cut per tooth
There must be a relative motion or cutting
velocity between the tool and workpiece with
sufficient force to overcome the resistance of
the part material.
Broaching
Tool Feed Direction
Gullet Tool
Depth of
cut per tooth
Workpiece
Broaching
Chip Formation
As long as these three conditions exist, the portion of
the material being machined that interferes with the
free passage of the tool will be displaced to create a
chip.
Many combinations exist that may fulfill such
requirements.
Variations in tool material and tool geometry, feed and
depth of cut, cutting velocity, and part material have
an effect not only upon the formation of the chip, but
also upon cutting force, cutting horsepower, cutting
temperatures, tool wear and tool life, dimensional
stability, and the quality of the newly created surface.
Broaching
The Mechanics of Chip Formation
Empirical metal-cutting studies reveal several
important characteristics of the chips formed
during the broaching process:
The cutting process generates heat
The thickness of the chip is usually greater than the
thickness of the layer from which it came
The hardness of the chip is usually much greater than
the hardness of the parent material, and
The other three relative values are all affected by
changes in cutting conditions and in properties of the
material to be machined
Broaching
The Mechanics of Chip Formation
These observations also indicate
that the process of chip formation
is one of deformation or plastic
flow of the material, with the
degree of deformation dictating the
type of chip that will be produced.
Broaching
How and Where Heat is Generated
As the tool continues to push through the work piece, a chip
eventually slides up the cutting face of the tool. This sliding
creates an external friction which again releases heat. This
external friction accounts for about 30% of the total heat
generated.
The third area of heat generation is on the land or flank of the
tool. This area accounts for about 10% of the heat generated.
This is assuming that the tools are sharp and made correctly as
far as clearance angles and face angles are concerned. As the
tool wears, the above percentages will vary, especially when
there is excess wear on the land, or if the clearance angle is
insufficient for the material or the part configuration. This
contact zone will actually increase as the part continues to
close in after the cut resulting in extremely high pressures on
the land area of the tool.
Advantages &
Disadvantages
Advantages
Rough to finish in one pass
Production rates are high
Cutting time is quick
Rapid load and unload of parts
External and internal features
Any form that can be produced on a broaching
tool can be produced
Production tolerances are excellent
Surface finishes are equal to milling
Operator skill is low
Advantages &
Disadvantages
Disadvantages
Tooling cost can be high
In some cases--not suited for low
production rates
Parts to be broached must be strong
enough to withstand the forces of the
process
Surface to be broached must be
accessible
Methods of Operation
Pull broaching - broach is pulled through
or across stationary work
Push broaching - broach is pushed
through or across work
Surface broaching - either the work or the
broach moves across the other
Continuous broaching - the work is moved
continuously against stationary broaches.
The path of the movement may be
straight or circular.
Methods of Operation
