Programming

Thread Milling
Milling is a great way to create a
thread. Recall from last months
column, we discussed advantages
of thread milling. Some people
might be concerned with
programming issues when thread
milling. Well lets look at a sample.
The following program is designed
to thread mill a 2.625 x 14 TPI
internal thread using a 1.00
diameter multiple flute cutter with
3/4 flute length.
The plan is to position the cutter to
the lowest point of the thread and
feed out of the part. Our program
calls for the tool to use a 45 ramp-in
move, complete a 360 rotation
within the part and then finish with a
45 ramp-out move.
For this program we are using the
center of the threaded hole as the
datum. At this point, the coordinates
are X0, Y0. The first thing to
calculate is the cutter start point
called the pivot point. This can be
calculated as follows.

Lets see how these values are used in the program. In this
example the Z-axis start point is Z-0.500 and the milling method
is climb milling.
Program example
N10 T1 M 6
N20 S1293
M 03
on
N30 G0 G90 X 0.0000 Y 0.0000 M08
Datum point
N40 G43 H01 Z0.1000
Rapid above part
N50 G1
Z- 0.50
N60 G1 X 0.375 Y-.375 F9. G41 D01
position

Tool change
Spindle

F50. Feed to depth

Ramp in start
G code

for climb mill

N70 G3 X.75 Y.000 R.375 Z- .4911 F 5.
point
N80 G3 X .75 Y.000 I- .75 Z- .4196
N90 G3 X.375 Y.375 I-.375 Z-.4107
N100 G0 X.0000 Y.0000 G 40
Return to

Ramp in to pivot
Circle mill
Ramp out
datum

cancel comp.
N110 G0
part

Z1.000

Retract from

In block N50 we feed to full depth and then move to the starting
point for the ramp-in position. Remember that this is half the pivot
point value.

Pivot point =(part diameter - cutter

The ramp-in move is a helical interpolation move with the X and
diameter) 2
Pivot point =(2.5 - 1.0) 2 = 0.750 Y axis moving incrementally 0.375 and Z moving 0.0089
upwards.
The cutter begins to cut the thread
Look at line N70 and note that the ending Z absolute position is
when the cutter is in this position

(X0.750, Y0).
Although this is the point at which
the tool begins cutting the thread,
we must get the cutter to this point
with a helical ramp-in move.
Use a point 45 from the datum
point, midway between the X-axis
and Y-axis zero line. This is half the
value of the pivot point in both X&Y
and represents the ramp-in start
position. This is 0.75 2 = 0.375.
There are two advantage of this 45
start-point. First, the X and Y start
and finish values are half the pivot
point value. Second, we can easily
calculate the amount of Z-axis
movement required.
Calculate the Z-axis moves based
on the required circular movement.
The Z-axis move for a full 360
rotation is the pitch. pitch = 1/14 =
0.0714
We selected a 45 ramp-in move, so
we can see that the Z-axis distance
for this move will be 45/360 x
0.0714 = 0.0089.

0.0089 less than the starting point in block N50.

Block N80 cuts a 360 circular move using a negative I value.
During this helical move the absolute Z value reduces by 0.0714.
Block N90 is the ramp-out position and again uses a 45 move in
the X and Y axis with an incremental move of 0.0089.
Im sure there are many thread milling methods out there. We
hope this methods is easy follow and helpful in further
understanding thread milling.