How to Distinguish between Spiral Point Taps and Spiral Flute Taps

In simple terms, spiral point taps are tip taps suitable for through-hole thread processing, with downward pin removal. Spiral flute taps are pin removal taps suitable for blind hole thread processing.

Spiral point taps are a variation of straight groove taps, invented by Ernst Reime, the founder of NORIS in Germany in 1923. An angle is formed on the cutting edge of one side of the straight groove, and the chips are discharged forward along the direction of the feed. Suitable for through-hole processing. The spiral flute tap is the most commonly used one, and different spiral angles are used according to different working conditions. The most common ones are right-handed 15° and 42°. Generally speaking, the larger the spiral angle, the better the chip removal performance. 

Spiral point taps, also known as tip taps and lower chip groove taps, are mainly used for thread cutting operations of various through-hole materials. Tip taps have the same straight grooves as ordinary straight flute taps, but there are specially designed spiral grooves at the front end of their cutting part, which are used to rotate and push the cuttings out from the bottom of the hole. Since the tip tap has this function of rotating and discharging chips, in addition to keeping the groove clean to reduce the resistance during cutting, it can also avoid damage to the tap caused by cutting blockage. Therefore, tip taps can use faster speeds than ordinary straight groove taps to cut high-precision threads.