• Treat a broach as carefully as you would any other precision cutting tool in your shop. Use plastic mesh tubing to protect critical cutting edges or store in suitable containers when not in use.

• Don't expect a broach to correct excessive eccentricity due to inaccurate previous machining. It is best practice to use the broached hole as the "locating point" for subsequent O.D. turning or facing operations where close concentricity must be obtained.

• Always check the suitability of a broach for the specific job it is to do. The material, length of broached hole, broaching speed, broaching fixture and type of broaching machine all affect satisfactory broach performance. Please allow our trained broach engineers to assist you in this regard. 

• Never permit the cutting teeth of a broach to come into contact with a hard metal edge or surface since the cutting teeth of broaches are generally extremely hard and may be damaged (this includes broaching backup plates over 38/40 Rc). Grind only enough metal from each tooth of a broach to bring it to required sharpness. Grinding away more than the necessary amount on each tooth shortens the life of a broach, only a few special broaches require that the same amount of metal be removed from all teeth.

• Use adequate equipment, designed especially for broaches when sharpening them. Broach life is materially shortened if correct tooth form is not maintained and the broach is not held properly in the sharpening machine. Use the right type of grinding wheel when sharpening broaches. The wheel size, grain and grade are important in obtaining sharp cutting edges without burning the metal, and in least time.

• Before deciding on any broaching set-up, make sure that the broaching machine is of adequate capacity for the specific job to be performed. Broaching speed and smoothness of operation not only affect the broaching time, but also the quality of the work done.

• In making any broaching set-up, check the alignment of the puller and guide bars(if used) with the centerline of the face-plate or platen before mounting the fixture. In hole, spline and keyway broaching operations, check the alignment of the fixture with the centerline of the broach, puller and guides before starting the broaching operation. 

• In helical spline broaching, keep backlash and wear of the broach drive head and lead bar at a minimum. It is difficult to maintain close limits on helix angles, if excessive wear exists.

• Design the broaching fixture or face plate adapter used in round or spline broaching for as small a clearance as possible without making it too difficult to insert and remove the piece to be broached.

• In all surface broaching operations, make sure that the fixture is sufficiently rigid to prevent movement of the piece.

 

At Pioneer Broach we have learned that adhering to the above you can avoid or limit some of the most common problems associated with broaching. We have experienced engineers ready to help you solve your most pressing broaching needs. So please call or E-mail us now.