Think productivity , Think HSS

BROACHING
 BROACHING TOOLS BROACHING PROCESS
2 The basics of broaching 17 Typical cutting speeds
SUMMARY
3 Benefits of broaching 18 Cutting fluids
4 Zoom on a broach 19 Typical broaching problems
5 Which HSS for maximum efficiency? 20 Wear
6 Coatings for the best performance 21 Calculate broach load
7 Vocabulary 22 Broaching in aeronautics
8 Two basic broach designs
23 Broaching in the automotive industry
9 Internal broaching: round and square holes
10 Internal broaching: splines 24 Broaching in daily life
11 Surface broaching
12 Pull broaching vs. push broaching
13 Tooth pitch
14 Broaching chips
15 Dimensions
16 Internal broaches: end types
1 BROACHING
 THE BASICS OF BROACHING
Workpiece Surface • Broaching is a machining operation in which the tool has a linear displacement.
The broaching process is extremely accurate. The efficiency demonstrated in heavy production is unmatched by
broach
any other process. Broaching is•especially
The tool shape is thefor
suitable same as the part
automotive shape and
factories whereis well suited
high to producing
efficiency and a high level
of complex cross sections.
• In broaching, each tooth progressively removes
accuracy is required. BENEFITS OFsome material, to produce
BROACHING
the final shape.
• Long tool life
• All operations (roughing, semi-finishing,
Each toothfinishing) are achieved
of the broach in a the
contacts single pass.
work surface
• Reduced cycle time
• Specially recommended for large onlyseries,
oncebroaching
per cycle.isTherefore
an alternativea broach can produce
Parts are produced in a single pass (usually
technology to milling, boring, turning, grinding
a very large and EDM.
number of parts before it needs
requiring less than a minute). With other machining
resharpening.
processes, multiple operations• are
Prerequisite:
required the
to surface to broach must be parallel to the direction of tooth
Surface broaching
produce complexprocess travel.
and/or irregular shapes.
• Simplified training and maintenanceA broach
machine is not complex.
Width of cut In addition, the loading and
• Excellent process accuracy and repeatabilityLinear

Depth of cut
Metal removed by
unloading of parts is easy to automatize.
displacement means a reduced number of process
variables. one tooth
• Extremely cost competitive process
For high productivity, large batches of pieces can be
• Superior finish surfaces
broached in one pass.
Fine quality is achieved in just one pass. The last
teeth of a broach burnish or hone the pieces.

2 Conventional cut (OD or Height) Form cut Generating cut

 HSS-PM
(powder
metallurgy)

ZOOM ON A BROACH

TOOL MAKER’S TIP

HSS • For tool
For large materials life
series, boost such as • For
your steels, nickel
productivity with stainless and
HSS-PM broaches steels, titaniu
cast iron m
(Rm < alloys
HSS-E 1000 • Suita
• For easy-tomachine
Mpa) ble for
materials such as
• For dry
aluminium, magnesium,
higher machi
freemachining steels
productiv ning
(Rm < 800 Mpa)
ity and
• Decreasingly used longer
WHICH HSS FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY ?

3
 TOOL MAKER’S TIP

Remember that
on a broach, Coating Roughing teeth Semi-finishing teeth Finishing teeth Retriever
the finishing section TOOL MAKER’S TIP end
is larger than the Pull
For even better end TiAlN or
roughing section. performance,
TiN TiAlCN
combine a coating with a
Black-violet
HSS-PM substrate. Gold
• Basic choice• For Tool material high speed and
high

Dimensions

Metal removed
by roughing teeth Metal removed by
finishing teeth

2
 • Improved abrasionproductivity, especially in resistancesteels
• For longer tool life • Also suitable for microlubrication or dry machining

SUCCESS STORY
Operation • High speed internal broaching with a TiAlN coated HSS-PM broach and microlubrication
Cutting length • 30 mm
Steel
Benefits compared with machining with a HSS Co broach and oil
C45 • Cutting speed x10 (vc 50 m/min vs. 5 m/min)

• 25% longer tool life

• Better surface roughness
• 15% lower cost per part and lower energy consumption

3
 COATINGS FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE

2
A BROACH AROUND
THE WORLD Finishing teeth
Semi-finishing teeth
French: First cutting teeth Retriever end
une broche Shank diameter
Front pilot Rear pilot

German: ein
Raumwerkzeug
Italian:
Pull end
una broccia Roughing teeth

Spanish: Rear shank

length
Front shank length Length of cutting teeth
una brocha
Overall length

Pitch
Land width
Relief angle

Depth
of gullet
Tooth radius

Face angle

3
Tooth Form
 VOCABULARY

2
 Solid broach Assembly broach
The basic choice Assembly broaches are composed of several broach
segments.
+ Improved accuracy of workpiece
+ Longer tool length compared with solid broaches
+ Complex broach shapes which are not possible with
solid broaches

3
TOOL MAKER’S TIP

Broaching is TWO BASIC BROACH DESIGNS

the only solution Round broaching
for producing
square holes Round broaches are used for high precision holes.
with sharp angles. There are several types of round broaches: rotary cut
broaches used to cut castings without premachining, double
cut broaches and burnishing broaches to improve surface
finish.

Square broaching
Flat and square broaches are used for producing flat and
square holes

Keyway broaching
Keyway broaches, are widely used, often with a guide
bushing that steadies the broach through the process.
When the broach is not long enough to cut a high keyway
workpiece in one pass, a liner is placed between the broach
and the guide. This allows the broach to be pulled two or
three times.

2
 INTERNAL BROACHING: ROUND AND
SQUARE HOLES

Broaching of splines
A spline broach is used to finish cut an involute spline or a
straight sided spline.

Involute
spline
broaches
are used
in

3
 automotive production. They are available with round teeth at
the front, or round teeth at the end or, to decrease the
eccentricity on the minor and the major diameter of a spline,
with alternating spline and round teeth.

Broaching of parallel side splines

Parallel side spline broaches are usually used in track parts or machine part production.

Broaching of serration
A combination broach, with both spline and round teeth, can decrease the eccentricity on the minor and major
diameter of a spline.

Broaching of special shapes

Helical splines can also be broached with spiral tooth broaches. The teeth are ground in a helical path around the
tool axis. The helix angle corresponds to that required in the work.

2
 INTERNAL BROACHING: SPLINES

3
 TOOL MAKER’S TIP

For mass-production, Surface broach

broaching is a good • A surface broach is used to remove material from an
Helix angle
alternative to milling. Overall external surface.
Accuracy Length of cutting teeth
length
Roughing teeth
• Surface broaching is usually carried out on a vertical
improves too! Tooth
machine with a broach which is either pushed or
Semi Finishing width
finishin
gteet
teet
h
pulled down.
h
• The entire length of the broach is usually fixed to the
machine.
Heigth of finishing teeth
Bottom face
Broach width

Surface broach

2 Example of broached parts

 SURFACE BROACHING

3
 PULL BROACHING VS. PUSH BROACHING
Length of cut Width of cut Length of cut
Width of cut
Chip space ≥ Chip volume X 6
Pitch and chip space ➡
➡ • Pitch is determined as a function of the amount of metal removed by one
Workpiect
e
Chip tooth (t = chip thickness). To prevent chips from jamming, the chip space
volume Chip space must be 6 times larger than chip volume (Length of cut x chip thickness).
Number of engaged cutting teeth Number of engaged cutting teeth

Variable pitch
Pull broaching Push
• To prevent pitch broaching
marks on the finished surface, use two or three different
• Broaching is generally done by pulling. pitches of unequal
• When the cutting
length stock is relatively small, a push
are used.
broach will be used.
• A pushed broach has a short life span due to rubbing
that occurs on the return.
Pitch and length of cut
• Push broaching can also be done on a machining
• Pitch P = 1.2 to 2.0 L.
center or on a lathe.

Length of cut L Length of cut:1+lL=l

2

Number of engaged teeth

Width Length of cut
of cut • Normally, several teeth cut simultaneously.

Number of engaged cutting teeth

2
 Number of engaged cutting teeth = Length of cut/Pitch (should not be a whole number).

TOOTH PITCH

BROACHING CHIPS
TOOL MAKER’S TIP Round keyway broach • Width:
Broaches are 0.4181 mm
usually very
• Diameter: 3.175 mm
long
tools, from 5xD • Length: 332 mm
up to 100xD or
more. To avoid
Square broach
any damage
during storage, • Square width: 2.3 mm
broaches • Length: 220 mm
should be hung
vertically.
Small
broaches
Examples:
3
TOOL MAKER’S TIP
Chip space ≥ Chip volume X 6
The chip space
must be six times
larger than Broaches areWorkpiece DIMENSIONS • Diameter: 290
the chip volume. usually very long t mm
Large broaches Example:
tools, from 5xD • Length: 2150
up to 100xD or Internal gear broach
mm
more
Chip volume (LXt)

Chip space

Chipbreakers Chipbreakers are ground parallel to the tool axis.

Chipbreakers are used on broaches to prevent chip Chipbreakers on alternate teeth are staggered so that
packing and to facilitate chip removal. Without each set of chipbreakers is followed by a cutting edge.
chipbreakers, the broach would produce ring-shaped
chips that would wedge in the tooth gullet and eventually
cause the tool to break.

Chipbreakers on
a flat broach

2
TOOL MAKER’S TIP PULL ENDS
The choice of pull
and retriever ends
depends on the
type of broaching
machine used.
Do not forget
that the diameters
of both ends must Cotter Jaw/claw Threaded Pin
be smaller than the
pre-broached hole. RETRIEVER ENDS

Jaw/claw Round neck Trapezoid

2
 INTERNAL BROACHES: END TYPES
Higher speeds can • Cutting speed influences broaching accuracy, the surface of the finished workpiece, and tool
be achieved life.
TOOL MAKER’S TIP

thanks to new HSS-PM materials with new coatings

Workpiece material HSS HSS Co Coated

broach broach HSS-PM broach
Steel 3-8 3-10 3-60*

Stainless steel - 2-5 2.5-4 2.5-5

tough
Stainless steel
free machining 4-6 4-8 4-10
Cast iron 8-10 8-12 8-60*
Brass 8-10 8-12 8-60*
Bronze 8-10 8-12 8-60*
Aluminium 8-10 8-12 8-80*
Magnesium 8-10 8-12 8-80*

2
 * A special broaching machine is required

TYPICAL CUTTING SPEEDS

Cutting fluids in broaching an inferior surface on the finished
• Cooling is essential in profile. If the viscosity is too high,
broaching. Reducing heat by chips will get stuck in the broach,
50°C can increase tool life by lowering efficiency. ln general, a
50%. Poor lubrication can even higher viscosity is recommended
stop the broaching for horizontal machines than for
operation. vertical machines.
• The type of coolant used for • Oil is recommended for broaching
broaching will have a large effect with low friction additives. Coolant
on the number of parts broached, choice also depends on the type
accuracy, and efficiency. of broaching machine.
• Coolant with low lubrication or low • Advanced water-based fluids are
durability will cause cutting teeth also increasingly used to improve
3to wear faster and, in turn, result in cooling at high speed or for
 cutting heat resistant materials. The use of • Microlubrication makes part cleaning
soluble oils is recommended to avoid unnecessary and is an environmental-
having to clean parts and to reduce fire friendly technology.
hazard. • Spectacular results can be achieved with
TiAIN coatings and HSS-PM steels (see
CUTTING FLUIDS case story on page 6).
Minimum Quantity Lubrication
• Microlubrication is also developing.

2
Problem Solutions

Dimensional Regrind earlier. Improve coolant flow. Check that there are no burrs on the teeth.
accuracy Check the dimensional accuracy of the broach. Check workpiece.
(oversized,
undersized)

Shape Check pull end. Check the face angle.

accuracy and Check workpiece clamping and alignment, especially if thin walls. Check the length of cut.
position
(roundness,
run-out)
Regrind earlier. Improve coolant flow. Increase speed.
Rough surface
finish Check that there are no burrs on the teeth. Check if vibrations occur.

Regrind earlier. Improve coolant flow. Use a HSS-PM broach and coatings.
Short tool life Check if vibrations occur. Increase the length of guide.

TYPICAL BROACHING PROBLEMS

3 Flank wearCrater wearDeformation
• Normal wear WEAR
pattern
• To be limited
• Decrease the
• Decrease the cutting
cutting speed
speed (vc)
(vc)
• Use a coated broach to
• Use a HSS-PM
stop chemical wear
broach with a
coating • Check coolant flow
• Increase coolant • To be avoided
flow • Decrease the cutting
speed (vc)
• Increase coolant flow
• Use a coated broach

2
• Estimated load (kN) = width of cut (mm) x cutting depth/tooth (mm) x number of engaged cutting teeth x
specific cutting resistance (kN/mm2) • Safety load (kN) = 1.8 x estimated load
Work material Cutting depth/tooth (mm) Specific cutting
Round broach Spline broach Surface broach resistance (N/mm2)

Carbon steels 0.010-0.020 0.025-0.030 0.030-0.070 3000 - 4000

Alloy steels 0.010-0.020 0.025-0.030 0.030-0.070 3000
Cast iron 0.025-0.040 0.025-0.040 0.050-0.075 2000
Malleable cast 0.025-0.035 0.025-0.035 0.050-0.075 1300-3000
iron
Stainless steels 0.020-0.030 0.020-0.030 0.030-0.060 4000
Non-ferrous alloys 0.035-0.050 0.030-0.040 0.060-0.100 1000-2000
Example of calculation
Broaching of a parallel side spline 20 x 16 x 4 x 6SP in alloy steels,
• Length of cut = 25 mm
• Pitch: 1.5 x 25 = 7.5 mm• Estimated load:
} (4x6)x0.025x3x4 = 7.2 kN

• Number of engaged teeth: 25/7.5 = 3.4 4

• Cutting depth/tooth: 0.025 mm

} • Safety load: 1.8x7.2 = 13 kN
• Cutting resistance: 3 kN/mm2
 CALCULATE BROACH LOAD
TOOL MAKER’S TIP
Finishing broach Broaches
Christmas tree
broaches are used
to produce the
grooves of turbine
disks for the Semi-Finishing broach
Turbine
aeronautic industry blade

or for the power Turbine disk

industry.
Roughing broach

Christmas tree broach profile

 BROACHING IN AERONAUTICS
TOOL MAKER’S TIP Broaches

Broaches are very Broach

cost effective for
mass-production of
automotive
components.
Sector gears for automotive seat
Steering rack Broach
Mounting
for disk brake
Connecting rod

Broaching of sector gears Broaching of steering racks Broaching of connecting rods

and disk brakes
BROACHING IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
Key holes

Broaches

Broaching of key holes

BROACHING IN DAILY LIFE