BROACHED PARTS

36. BROACHED PARTS

36.1. THE PROCESS
Broaching is the cutting of a machinable material by passing a cutter with a
series of progressively stepped teeth over or through it. These teeth travel in a plane parallel to the surface being cut and, by removing a predetermined amount of stock, produce precision contours and nishes. Most often, all the cutting teeth will be contained in one tool, known as a

broach, to rough-out and nish-cut the part completely in a single machine

stroke. (See Fig. 4.9.1.) When excessive stock prevents a one-stroke application, additional strokes can be employed, utilizing the same tool, if possible, or a series of tools. The location of the tool in relation to the workpiece must be changed by an amount equal to the stock removed on each stroke if the same tool is used for multiple strokes. The broach can be pulled or pushed and can be vertical or horizontal. 36.1.1. External Broaching This method involves machining an external surface of the part. The workpiece is usually clamped in a holding xture and the tool secured in a broach holder. Either the broach holder or the xture is attached to the powered slide of a broaching machine, and the other is held in a xed position relative to the surface to be broached. Pot broaching and straddle

broaching are two processes whereby the workpiece is surrounded by

broaches exerting balanced cutting pressures, which eliminate the need for clamping the workpiece.

36.1.2. Internal Broaching This method requires a hole or opening in the workpiece to allow the broaching tool to be inserted and pulled or pushed through the part. When the cut is balanced, as with a round or splined hole, the broach is usually allowed to position the workpiece centrally to the cut. Unbalanced cuts require guiding the broach. Guiding usually is accomplished in the design of the tool or by xturing with guides above and below or through the part.

Blind-hole broaching, in which the tool cannot pass completely through the
part, is performed by using a single tool or a set of tools with a limited number of cutting teeth. The tool is pushed into the workpiece until the teeth are past the surface being cut and is then retracted.

Figure 4.9.1. Complex-form pull broach showing the part blank before broaching and the nished conguration after pulling the broach through the part. (Apex Broach & Machine Co.)
Machines specically designed and built for broaching are used for the process. They may be completely automatic, semiautomatic, or basically manual; with a manual machine, the operator handles the workpiece and the tool and directs the motion of the machine. The machines are manufactured in a variety of standard and special types and sizes. Most are hydraulically powered, with some being electromechanically, gear, screw, or chain driven.

36.2. TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BROACHED PARTS

Virtually any part that is made by chip-forming machining could be a

candidate for broaching. Some parts have no practical alternative method of manufacturing and must be broached. Typical parts are those with square, circular, or irregular holes, the key slot in lock cylinders (Fig. 4.9.2), splines and matching holes with straight-sided, involute, cycloidal, or specially shaped teeth, cam forms, gears, ratchets, and other complex forms requiring tight tolerances and precision nishes. Both helical and straight shapes are feasible. Sizes range from very small parts to parts weighing several tons, such as the stationary steam-turbine-rotor forms illustrated in Fig. 4.9.3. Two exceptional characteristics, extremely high speed of production and outstand-

Figure 4.9.2. Key slots in lock cylinders are normally broached.

Figure 4.9.3. Mounting openings for steam-turbine blades are commonly broached.
ing repetitive accuracy, promote broaching over conventional machining processes. Broaching is often chosen to replace milling, planing, shaping, hobbing, slotting, boring, reaming, and grinding. A ne surface nish is produced because of the shaving action of the nal teeth. Usually, no additional surface-rening operations are required. Tool marks are axial rather than circumferential.

36.3. ECONOMIC PRODUCTION QUANTITIES

Broaching usually requires high-volume production. Small production quantities often cannot justify the initial cost of the broaching tool and other tooling and the need for a special machine. The exceptions are cases in which

there is no practical alternative method of machining or when standard broaching tools, already on hand, can be employed. Broaches range in cost from the low hundreds of dollars for a simpler tool to several thousands of dollars for complex form-cutting tools, such as that required for the turbine-rotor form shown in Fig. 4.9.3. Production rates usually will range from 15 to more than 100 times higher than with alternative machining methods. For example, pot broaching 24 gear teeth in an SAE 1144 steel blank, 22 mm (7/8 in) thick, at 1000 pieces per hour, using fully automated tooling on one broaching machine, replaced 16 hobbing machines and four operators. A minimum production requirement of 1 million parts was needed to justify the tooling and machine costs. Tooling a machine for more than one part or for a group of similar parts with the same machined surface can often make broaching an economical operation on small-lot quantities.

36.4. SUITABLE MATERIALS FOR BROACHING

Most of the known metals and alloys, especially steels, cast irons, bronze, brass, and aluminum, some plastics, hard rubber, wood graphite, asbestos, and other composites, have been broached. In all cases, machinability of the material is the key factor. Broaching of porous forgings and castings having nonuniform densities creates the problems of unacceptable surface nish and poor size control and should be avoided. Controlling material hardness is important to prevent excessive part-to-part varia-

Table 4.9.1. Typical Machining Results with Commonly Broached Materials

Material Common designation SAE 1008/1010 SAE G10200/G 7074 R
b

Tolerance UNS Brinell hardness number 6070 R

b

Finish m 1.1/1.6 in 45 65 1.1/1.5 45

mm/ surface 0.025

in/ surface 0.001

designation G10080/G10100

0.025

0.001

1020/1023 SAE 1040

10230 G 10400 8086 R

b

60 0.8/1.1 30 45 0.025 0.001

SAE 1064/1065 SAE 1069/1070 SAE 1095

G10640/G 10650 G10690/G 10700 G10950

1820 R

0.6/1.3

25 50

0.038

0.0015

1820 R

0.6/1.3

25 50

0.038

0.0015

2325 R

0.9/1.5

35 60

0.046

0.0018

SAE 1144

G11440

9397 R

0.8/1.5

30 45

0.020

0.0008

SAE 4027

G40270

9195 R

0.6/1.3

25 50

0.013

0.0005

SAE 4140/4142 SAE 4145

G41400/G41420

9294 R

1.3/2.0

50 80

0.038

0.0015

G41450

9294 R

1.3/2.0

50 80

0.038

0.0015

SAE 4340 cast SAE 5140

G43400

3133 R

2.0/3.0

80 120

0.064

0.0025

G5140

1216 R

1.5/2.0

60 80

0.051

0.002

SAE 52100

G52986

1825 R

1.1/1.5

45 60

0.020

0.0008

SAE 6150

G61500

1822R

1.1/1.5

45 60

0.020

0.0008

SAE 8620

G86200

1827 R

1.0/1.5

40 60

0.020

0.0008

SAE 8640

G86400

1825 R

1.3/2.0

50 80

0.025

0.001

SAE 8642

G86420

1825 R

1.3/2.0

50 80

0.025

0.001

SAE 8645

G86450

1825 R

1.3/2.0

50 80

0.025

0.001

Gray cast iron Pearlitic malleable iron 303 stainless steel 17-4PH stainless steel 403 stainless steel 410 stainless steel 416 stainless steel M-2 highspeed steel Inconel 750X N07750 T11303 S41000 S41000 S40300 S 17700 S30300

8894 R

2.0/2.5

80 100

0.063

0.0025

9096 R

1.1/1.5

45 60

0.013

0.0005

8590 R

0.8/1.1

30 45

0.038

0.0015

3440 R

0.5/0.8

20 30

0.030

0.0012

2732 R

0.6/0.9

25 35

0.030

0.0012

8492 R

0.4/0.8

15 30

0.025

0.001

1822 R

0.4/0.8

15 30

0.025

0.001

2428 R

1.1/1.5

45 60

0.038

0.0015

2932 R

0.8/1.1

30 45

0.025

0.001

Greek Ascoloy Rene 41

G41800

3238 R

0.9/1.1

35 45

0.025

0.001

N07041

4042 R

0.8/1.0

30 40

0.051

0.002

Stellite 31 2014-T6

R30031

3032 R

2.0/3.0

80 120

0.051

0.002

Aluminum

A92014

7080 R

0.8/1.1

32 45

0.058

0.0023

Copper

C 12200

4585 R

1.1/1.5

45 60

0.038

0.0015

Tellurium copper Free-cutting brass Navy M bronze Magnesium Aluminum bronze (8%)

C 14500

4550 R

0.8/1.1

30 45

0.025

0.001

C36000

7075 R

0.5/0.9

20 35

0.025

0.001

C92200

6570 R

0.8/1.1

30 45

0.038

0.0015

6075 R

0.2/0.4

815

0.038

0.0015

C95600

7583 R

1.4/2.0

55 80

0.063

0.0025

tions. Wide variations can result in poor or inconsistent surface nish and are a major factor in tool life and size control. The ideal hardness range of ferrous parts is between R
c

25 and R

32 with a tolerance of 3 to 5 points.

Table 4.9.1 lists some of the more commonly broached materials and the surface nishes and tolerances that may be achieved under normal conditions.

36.5. DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS

36.5.1. Entrance and Exit Surfaces A part to be broached should be designed so that it can be easily located and held in the proper attitude. Surfaces contiguous to the area to be cut should be square and relatively at. Care in selecting the location of parting lines and gates to prevent poor support during machining is important. The designer should visualize how the part is to be retained and supported and

avoid the possibility of uneven or inconsistent surfaces in these areas. This is especially true in internal broaching, in which the tool is not retained or guided by the machine or xturing. Uneven or inclined surfaces can cause side-thrust pressures to the tool, which can result in inaccuracies in the nished hole and possible tool failure. External broaching is not so demanding, provided the part is so designed that the holding xture can retain and support it rigidly during the cutting stroke. However, it is still advisable to design the part with square supporting faces whenever possible. 36.5.2. Stock Allowances

Figure 4.9.4. Stock allowances for broaching a typical forged section.

When forgings are planned for broaching, they should be held to as close dimensions as possible, allowing only minimum stock for nishing. Figure 4.9.4 shows a typical forged section with stock allowances recommended to avoid overloading the broach tool during production runs. Castings require a greater stock allowance to ensure that inclusions, scale, and hard spots are removed and clean surfaces are produced in machining. Cold-punched or pierced holes present much the same problems as castings, and stock allowances should be ample enough to allow for blanking breakout. 36.5.3. Wall Sections It is advisable to avoid frail or thin wall sections and to maintain a uniform thickness for any wall that will be subjected to machining forces. Sections should be at least sucient to withstand xture-retaining pressures and to minimize deections caused by cutting forces.

36.5.4. Families of Parts If all of a group of parts will require a similar broaching operation, the designer should attempt to design the parts so that all use the same broaching tool and, if possible, the same holding xture. For example, a number of levers of dierent sizes or shapes could be designed with the same square hole in one end. 36.5.5. Round Holes Starting holes may be cored, punched, bored, drilled, ame-cut, or hotpierced. When the starting hole is drilled or bored, 0.8-mm (1/32-in) stock on the diameter of holes up to 38 mm (1 1/2 in) in diameter and 1.6-mm (1/16-in) stock on larger holes are usually sucient for cleanup. When cored holes are planned, draft angles, surface texture, and size variations must be taken into consideration in determining core size so as to assure cleanup. Long holes should be chambered as shown in Fig. 4.9.5 to improve accuracy as well as to reduce costs. Table 4.9.2 shows the recommended maximum total length of the total hole surface for various diameters.

Figure 4.9.5. Long holes should be chambered.

36.5.6. Internal Forms Symmetrically shaped internal forms are usually broached by starting from round holes, and the guidelines under Round Holes apply to them. Irregularly shaped internal forms may be started from round holes as shown in Fig. 4.9.6 or from cored, punched, pierced, or machined irregular holes. Sometimes the cost of removing excess stock prior to broaching may prove to be higher than that of broaching from the round hole, and the product designer should investigate this cost before nalizing the part-blank design. If this is not practicable, it is suggested that optional constructions for the part-blank starting hole be specied. Whenever stock allowance for broaching can be controlled by the method used to form the blank, e.g., casting, stamping, or forging, it is always advisable to leave a minimum amount of stock for cleanup plus draft, mismatch, or out-of-round tolerances.

Table 4.9.2. Recommended Maximum Total Length of Hole for Various Diameters
Hole diameter mm 1.41.5 1.51.9 1.92.3 2.32.8 2.83.8 3.85.1 5.16.3 6.37.6 7.68.9 8.910.2 in 0.0550.060 0.0600.075 0.0750.090 0.0900.110 0.1100.150 0.1500.200 0.2000.250 0.2500.300 0.3000.350 0.3500.400 Maximum total length mm 32 48 55 6.3 9.5 12.7 15.9 19.0 22.2 25.4 in 0.125 0.188 0.218 0.250 0.375 0.500 0.625 0.750 0.875 1.000

10.212.1 12.114.0 14.016.5 16.520.3 20.325.4 25.431.8 31.838.1 38.141.3 41.346.0 46.050.8 50.853.9 53.957.2 57.263.5 63.576.2 76.288.9

0.4000.475 0.4750.550 0.5500.650 0.6500.800 0.8001.000 1.0001.250 1.2501.500 1.5001.625 1.6251.812 1.8122.000 2.0002.125 2.1252.250 2.2502.500 2.5003.000 3.0003.500

31.8 34.9 41.3 50.8 63 .5 82.5 102 121 131 152 178 203 267 305 457

1.250 1.375 1.625 2.000 2.500 3.250 4.000 4.750 5.500 6.000 7.000 8.000 10.500 12.000 18.000

Figure 4.9.6. Irregularly shaped broached holes are started from round holes.

36.5.7. Internal Keyways Whenever possible, it is advisable to design keyways to ASA specications as shown in Table 4.9.3. In doing so, standard keyway broaches, available from some manufacturers as o-the-shelf tools, can be used. Many subcontract

broaching sources stock these standard keyway broaches and solicit the broaching of any quantity of parts.

Table 4.9.3. Standard Keyway Sizes, in

*Minimum length of part recommended to prevent the part from dropping between the teeth of the broach.

36.5.8. Internal Keys

36.5.8. Internal Keys Pilot holes for internal keys should be on the same centerline as the nished hole. Balanced designs having more than one key equally spaced are advantageous to prevent the broach from drifting and should be used when hole location is critical (see Fig. 4.9.7). However, two keys require two keyways or other space on the mating part, and this also must be considered.

Figure 4.9.7. A balanced shaped hole is preferable to prevent the broach from drifting to one side.

36.5.9. Straight-Splined Holes 1. Parallel or straight-sided splined holes should be designed to SAE standards. 2. Involute splines should be designed to SAE, DIN, or AGMA standards. Fine diametral pitches and stub-tooth forms are advisable since shallow-depth splines reduce the length of broach required (Fig. 4.9.8).

Figure 4.9.8. Stub-tooth forms are preferred.

3. Long holes should be chambered or relieved similarly to round holes, as shown in Fig. 4.9.6. If only tooth areas are broached, the reduction of circumferential area being cut allows the total hole length given in Table 4.9.2 to be increased by 33 percent for splined holes. This does not apply if the entire hole surface including the root of the spline is broached. 4. Broaching allows the designer to modify the spline prole to suit product requirements. For example, Fig. 4.9.9 illustrates a method to provide

clearance for the upset burr of a cold-rolled spline shaft. This undercut procedure does increase the cost of the tool, but it can economically eliminate assembly problems.

Figure 4.9.9. This shape allows room for the upset burr on a coldrolled spline.

Figure 4.9.10. Avoid dovetail or inverted-angle splines.

5. Dovetail or inverted-angle splines should be avoided whenever possible (see Fig. 4.9.10).

36.5.10. Spiral Splines The guidelines for straight splined holes also apply to spiral splines: 1. Spiral splines with helix angles greater than 40 cannot be broached by using conventional methods. It is advisable to use the lowest helix angle possible. 2. Splines with helix angles greater than 10 usually will require the broach to be driven rotationally during its travel through the part. The designer

should provide some means of retaining the part to prevent rotation. This can be accomplished by an irregular contour of some prominence such as a projection, notch, hole, or indentation in the face of the part.

36.5.11. Tapered Splines Tapered splines should be avoided (see Fig. 4.9.11): 1. Splines that taper on tooth thickness usually cannot be broached. 2. Splines that taper with the bore should be avoided. Single keyways are an excep tion, provided the bore is large enough to permit insertion of a mandrel having a tapered slot to guide the broach.

Figure 4.9.11. Avoid tapered splines.

3. Shallow tapers, such as those used for steering (Pitman) arms to provide a solid lock-up, are often broached to the smallest through-hole size and swaged to size in a secondary operation. In rare instances, a combination push broach and swage tool is inserted to depth and retracted.

36.5.12. Square and Hexagonal Holes It is advantageous to use a slightly oversized starting hole, particularly for square holes. This method is optional, but it will reduce the cost of broaching considerably (see Fig. 4.9.12). Avoiding sharp corners at the major diameter is recommended to reduce broach costs. This is best accomplished by specifying a slightly smaller major diameter. If corner radii are a design requirement, they will add to the cost of

the broach (see Fig. 4.9.13).

Figure 4.9.12. Use a slightly oversize starting hole.

Figure 4.9.13. Avoid sharp corners on a major diameter.

36.5.13. Saw-Cut or Split Splined Holes When the part will have an intersecting cut into the splined hole, such as is used to provide a clamping method or to allow expansion for the mating part, the splined hole should be designed with an omitted space as shown in Fig. 4.9.14. This allows room for the burr produced by the saw cut.

Figure 4.9.14. Allow room for the burr produced by the saw cut by eliminating one tooth.

36.5.14. Blind Holes

Broaching blind holes should be avoided if at all possible. If splines or similar shapes are necessary in blind holes, there should be a relief at the bottom of the broached area to allow the chip to break o. This relief area should be as wide as possible to retain the material removed by broaching and to allow for the fact that the broach will be shorter as it is sharpened. Grooves that produce a tapered heel for the broached area are recommended (see Fig. 4.9.15).

Figure 4.9.15. If blind holes are necessary, they should have a relief at the bottom of the spline major diameter as shown.

36.5.15. Gear Teeth Internal gear teeth should be given the same consideration as internal involute splines 36.5.16. Chamfers and Corner Radii In all situations in which corners must be broken by machining, chamfers are preferred over radii. 1. Sharp internal corners should be avoided to eliminate stress points and minimize tooth-edge wear. Chamfers are preferred to simplify manufacture, but radii may be specied (see Fig. 4.9.16).

Figure 4.9.16. Internal-corner design.

Figure 4.9.17. Chamfer outer corners rather than rounding them.

2. Outer corners or edges that must be machined should be chamfered rather than rounded, also for ease in manufacturing (see Fig. 4.9.17). 3. Sharp corners or edges of intersecting outer broached surfaces should be avoided whenever possible. Castings, forgings, and extrusions should be designed with a corner break that does not require machining.

36.5.17. External Surfaces Whenever possible, external machined surfaces should be relieved to reduce the area that must be broached. 1. Reliefs of undercuts in the corners will simplify the broaching operation (see Fig. 4.9.18). 2. Large surfaces should be broken into a series of bosses whenever possible (see Fig. 4.9.19).

Figure 4.9.18. Reliefs or undercuts in the corners simplify broaching of external surfaces.

Figure 4.9.19. Break large surfaces into series of bosses.

36.5.18. Undercuts Machined undercuts, such as when grinding may be required after broaching or when parts are relieved for mating-part ts, should be as shallow as possible Avoid sharp or narrow undercut congurations. 36.5.19. Burrs Owing to the predetermined and controlled cut per tooth, burrs from broaching are generally smaller than burrs produced by other methods of machining. Chamfers or reliefs on the exit edge of the surface to be broached are recommended to contain the burr produced and eliminate a deburring operation. 36.5.20. Unbalanced Cuts Unbalanced stock conditions caused by cross holes or other interruptions that could engender tool deections should be avoided.

36.6. DIMENSIONAL FACTORS

Internal broaching, especially single-pass operations, usually can be held to closer tolerances than external applications because accuracy is primarily dependent on the tool itself. External broaching or internal applications that require guiding the tool or multiple passes are subject to residual factors. These comprise clearances of machine and xture slides, accuracy in the repetition of multiple passes, rigidity of work-holding xtures, and part alignment to the tool assembly. Uniformity of material, consistency of datum faces (part-support faces, locating points, and clamping areas), and strength of the part are important to guarantee piece-to-piece tolerance control. Other factors that will aect tolerances and size control are eectiveness of tool maintenance and resharpening, machinability of the material, condition of the broaching machine, proper type and use of coolant, cutting speed, and proper design of the tool. Proper tool design is the most important factor in controlling size and nish.

36.7. RECOMMENDED TOLERANCES

36.7.1. Surface Finish The surface nish produced by broaching is generally of high quality. While it does not match a grinding nish, it will be superior to the nish produced by most other manufacturing methods. By employing good tool design and proper coolant oils, nishes of a burnished quality can be obtained in goodmachinability-rated materials. Table 4.9.1 shows the surface nish that may be expected under normal conditions. Smoother surface nishes can be obtained in most materials but should not be specied unless absolutely necessary. 36.7.2. Flatness Parts of uniform section and sucient strength to withstand cutting pressures can be expected to be broached within 0.013 mm (0.0005 in) TIR (total indicator reading). An exception may be found on the exit edge of soft or gummy materials such as aluminum or stainless steels, where the metal extrudes during the cut and snaps back. A atness of 0.025 mm (0.001 in) is a safe assumption for most broached parts. 36.7.3. Parallelism Parallelism of surfaces machined in the same cutting stroke should be within 0.025 mm (0.001 in) TIR on good- to fair-machinability-rated materials. 36.7.4. Squareness For parts that can be xtured and retained on true surfaces, a squareness of 0.025 mm (0.001 in) TIR is possible, and tolerances of 0.08 mm (0.003 in) can be obtained consistently under controlled conditions in good-machinabilityrated materials. 36.7.5. Concentricity Broaches usually will follow the pilot hole, and concentricity errors due to broach drift should not exceed 0.025 to 0.05 mm (0.001 to 0.002 in) for round

or similarly shaped holes in good- to fair-machinability-rated materials. Freecutting materials such as brass allow the broach greater freedom for drifting during the cut. A special broach design and selection of the proper broaching machine often can solve this problem for the product designer. 36.7.6. Chamfers and Radii Tolerances on chamfers and radii should be as liberal as possible. Radii under 0.8 mm (0.030 in) should have a minimum tolerance of 0.13 mm (0.005 in); 0.25 mm (0.010 in) should be allowable on larger sizes. Generous tolerances reduce broach manufacturing and maintenance costs. 36.7.7. Basic Dimensions Apply the values in Table 4.9.1.
Citation
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James G.Bralla: Design for Manufacturability Handbook, Second Edition. BROACHED PARTS, Chapter (McGraw-Hill Professional, 1999, 1986), AccessEngineering

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