Tapping a Profile in Raptor for Operation on Advantage-2

Raptor, from Peddinghaus, is the leading 3D CAD/CAM software helping fabricators program faster and more accurately than ever before. Setting up tapping programs in Raptor for drill lines such as the Advantage-2 is easily acheived using the software interface.

Step one. Begin by creating a new part in Raptor and select the size of beam you will be processing. In this excersize we will be tapping on a W18x175 beam. In this field you can apply the part name. Hit ok. Also, make sure to choose the correct machine you will be operating. At the top of the list we are choosing the Advantage-2 also known as the PCDC.

Step two. Now that you’ve created a new part, we can add our tooling. Select the tooling icon shown here. The menu window opens with all the fields available for our tooling options. Let’s apply the drill bit first. In the first field we set the diameter of the drill to 11/16. In the second field, make sure to specify drill for the type. Raptor allows us to select the speeds and feeds, length of tooling, holder length and holder diameter. We recommend using Peddinghaus tooling. Please contact the tooling department for the correct specifications, otherwise, contact your tooling supplier.

Okay, the drill bit is set up. Now let’s add our tapping tool. Select the second row and input the desired information. In this exercise, we are utilizing a 3 quarter 10 tap. Input 3/4 for the diameter and specify tap in the type section. Once selected, Raptor allows us to input the fields that apply to tapping. Here we have our speeds and feeds, tap length, holder length, holder diameter, threads per inch and the minimum and maximum diameter of the tap. The min d and max d refers to the minimum and maximum sized drilled hole that can be used with the tap you will be using. Depending on the percentage of thread engagement that you are requiring, this value can be adjusted to suit. Again, we recommend using Peddinghaus tooling. Contact the tooling department for the correct specifications, otherwise, contact your tooling supplier.

Click the x button to close the tooling options menu and return to the main screen. As you noticed when we selected the Advantage-2 for our machine, Raptor revealed the 3, 5-station tool changers at the bottom of the screen. Simply double click on the desired station and add your tooling. Select the drill row and click select tool. Raptor will place the 11/16 drill bit in the first station. Double click on the second station to reveal the tooling menu. Highlight the 3/4 10 tap row and click select tool. We now have the proper tooling to process tapping on our beam.

Step three. We are now ready to program our tapped hole! In the menu below your 3D render of the beam, select the holes single tab. In these fields we can specify all the parameters for our tap which is based upon the tooling we just added a moment ago. Remember, you don’t need to program a pilot hole, Raptor will instruct the machine to drill that first without your direction. The drill and tap tooling we previously set up is what helps accomplish this task.

Click the first row and select which surface of the beam you will be drilling. Here we select w for web. Raptor automatically selects the reference location. We need to apply the absolute x dimension, the y axis distance known as gage. The absolute x dimension and gage are the measurements to the center of the tapped hole. Now select tapped for the type, set the diameter to 3/4, the thread pitch to 3/32 and set the threads per inch to 10. Hit Ok.

You have now completed applying tapping to a beam in Raptor. You can add more processes to your beam or create cnc and export to the machine.

Always remember that setting up your program properly is important for successful machine operations. It saves time spent trouble shooting issues and speeds up production. If you have any other questions or concerns please contact our 24 hour customer support.