Flat broach manufacturing is a tooling option that offers some advantages to circular broaching, but the tools need to maintain optimum sharpness in order to be effective.

A broaching machine requires precision broaching tools to increase productivity and efficiency.

New broaching tools can be expensive and difficult to customize. Continuous use quickly dulls broach tools, and sharpening services can be time-consuming. If a broaching tool is cracked, bent, or otherwise seriously damaged, sharpening services are no longer capable of restoring the tooling.

In order to find an affordable alternative, it may be necessary to work with a premier broach manufacturer. A newly designed broach tool is easy to swap out in your equipment. This allows you to keep moving forward with minimal downtime. Affordable broaching tools allow you to postpone sharpening services and quickly swap out your cutting tool to keep your production facility moving forward all day long. When you’re working with high-volume components, a single broaching tool issue can create significant issues until repaired or replaced.

A flat broach is a straightforward tooling option that offers some unique advantages to circular broaching and other alternative options. Depending on your workpiece and cut requirements, you may need a rectangular, octagonal, round, or square broach. Sophisticated software, like the type used at Miller Broach, can be used to review your current broaching methods and create an exact match or an improved design for the same process.

Even if you don’t see signs on the broach tool or your products, carefully watch the process. (Courtesy: Miller Broach)

Custom Broach Designs

A new flat broach tool is completely customizable for your equipment and manufacturing needs. Factors in which you will need to control while you design a new broach tool include:

  • Length.
  • Thickness.
  • Material.
  • Tooth pattern.
  • Amount.

Whether you’re creating one-of-a-kind patented products to fit an industrial niche or turning out high-volume basic workpieces, flat broaching tools must be maintained in order to keep your equipment running at peak efficiency.

Versatile Performance for Your Industry

Flat broaching tools, such as ones offered by Miller Broach, need to be as versatile as your broaching machine. Miller works with any industry that requires consistent, custom, and creative components for their manufacturing process. Your workpieces are only as good as your tools, so choose a leading company that offers the best in precision broaching tools. Miller has experience with many industries, including:

  • Aerospace.
  • Automotive.
  • Industrial manufacturing.
  • Agriculture.
  • Oil and gas.
  • Firearms.
  • Fasteners, gears, and more.

Sharpen Flat Broach

Your broaching machine needs to outpace other broach manufacturers and offer precise components at high volumes. A dull broach can quickly halt this process and cost your company significant amounts of time and money.

A dull broach can stall your entire process and reduce the quality of your broached components and, in turn, your final product. (Courtesy: Miller Broach)

Dangers of a Dull Broaching Tool

Your broach tool uses a series of small, sharp teeth to pull or push through your workpiece. Depending on the material and broach machine, this typically happens at high speeds throughout your production process. A new broaching tool effortlessly cuts through a workpiece to provide consistent, accurate parts.

Over time, a broaching tool can become dull. Broaching tools wear out more quickly if you’re working with hard metals, but even soft plastic and wood workpieces can dull a broaching tool. Continued use of a dull broaching tool can decrease the accuracy of each cut, slow your work process, and even damage your broaching machine.

As a leading broach company, you need to efficiently produce precision components. An inefficiency in the process could cost a significant amount of productivity. A dull broach can stall your entire process and reduce the quality of your broached components and, in turn, your final product. Here are some signs of a dull broach tool that needs broach sharpening:

  • Tears.
  • Galling.
  • Poor finish.
  • Dull broach cutting edge teeth.
  • Signs of rollover.
  • Damaged or missing cutting edge teeth.
  • Holes below size.

Even if you don’t see signs on the broach tool or your products, carefully watch the process. Sometimes, a dull broach can cause the material to stick to the tool and temporarily pick it up. You may also notice more effort or pressure being used to create holes.

A major sign that you need to start a maintenance program is if you consistently break broach tools. If your blades routinely snap, you may be using a dull broach. This is particularly common when attempting to produce high-speed cuts in hard materials, where a sharp blade is essential.

A dull broach quickly becomes a bent or broken one. Comprehensive sharpening and reconditioning services, such as the ones offered by Miller Broach, aren’t possible once your broaching tool is broken.

A sharpened broaching tool offers like-new performance without the cost of replacing your broaching tool. (Courtesy: Miller Broach)

Benefits of Precision Sharpening Services

Maintain your flat broach tool to improve your productivity and decrease your costs. Here are just a few benefits of quality sharpening and reconditioning services:

  • Improved cutting precision.
  • Increased tool life.
  • Decreased cost of repair.
  • Reduced downtime.

A sharpened broaching tool offers like-new performance without the cost of replacing your broaching tool. If your factory is consistently replacing broaching tools that are dull, bent, or otherwise compromised, you could be spending far more in parts and downtime than necessary.

Restoring broaching tools

At Miller Broach, the latest software and tooling techniques can be used to restore your flat broaching tools quickly and affordably.

Reconditioning and sharpening involves a careful inspection of your broach tools to help you determine the remaining tool life. A sharpening schedule is recommended to maintain your tooling. Once you have a maintenance schedule in place, you can plan ahead for flat broach sharpening services and avoid unexpected broken broaching tools.

Full-service support is often needed in order to ensure the best quality custom flat broaches and related services.

Learn how you can accelerate your production and enjoy affordable, custom flat broaches for all your equipment. Don’t let a damaged or inaccurate broaching tool hold you back, but discover ultimate precision and cost-effective performance today. 

SHARE
Previous articleQ&A with Jack Conway
Next articleOpportunities of Efficiency Improvement by the Use of Hydro Lubricants
Jeff Burg is technical sales manager with Miller Broach Inc. Miller Broach is a leader in broaching tool manufacturers. From bulk broaching tools to a few custom flat broach tools, Miller Broach specializes in affordable and cutting-edge solutions. For more information, go to millerbroach.com.