Vertical Broaching

Vertical Broaching

Generally speaking, a broach is a tool that contains a series of successively larger teeth and is used to cut through the part that is being produced. Items that are made through a variety of broaching techniques include gears, wrenches, gun components and keys. The main three broaching machines, which then have various sub categories of specialized machines, are the vertical, the horizontal and the rotary. Various products are specialized by the broaching teeth, which come in many different sizes; the teeth themselves may be spaced apart by varying distances depending on the part that is being broached. For example, spline shafts are known for their usually involute teeth that are commonly necessary for the transfer of torque from a power source to an engine. Gear hobbing is another technique that is mainly concerned with the size and configuration of the broaching teeth. Vertical broaching machines are used to create surface finishes for many tools and gears in various industries, including the aerospace, automotive and electrical sectors.

Vertical broaching offers many advantages, such as a high productivity rate, economical and efficient operation, accuracy, close tolerances, versatility and smooth finishes. The mechanics of vertical broaching are fairly simple. They are usually hydraulic machines, which are run by liquid fluid power like many other industrial machines. Push broaching, pull-up broaching, pull-down broaching and surface broaching are the four most common vertical broaching machine designs. A push broaching machine is much like an arbor press with a guided ram, which is a smaller model of machine with a lift table and supporting ram that keeps the product on target. However, this is not the most common type of broaching machine; the two ram pull-down machine is. This style machine has the rams under the table. Pull-up machines have the ram above the table; they usually have more than one ram. Most surface broaching, also known as external broaching or blind broaching, is done on a vertical machine.

Image Provided by VW Broaching Services, Inc.