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Tag remove broken tap

How Long Does it Take to Remove a Broken Tap?

Disintegration Time is Dependent on a Number of Factors

If you are using one of Electro Arc’s metal disintegrators, the answer to this question is must less time than if you used other methods.  Specifically, this is kind of a hard question to answer.   Depending on the type of material you are disintegrating, the size of the broken tap, the depth of the broken tap, and the operator’s experience the total time may vary.  Let’s start by talking about the disintegrating process  (these steps may vary depending on the model of metal disintegrator you are running):

Of course, to start, you need to take the machine to the work site.
1) If you have a magnetic fixture getting it set into position will take approximately 1 minute.
2) You will want to make sure you have the correct size collet and electrode installed into the head.   This takes approximately 2 minutes.
3) Connect power to your disintegrating head.  This takes approximately 1 minute.
4) Connect power to your machine (twist lock connections).  This takes approximately 2 minutes
5) Coolant is connected to the 3-way valve on the machine- 2 minutes
6) Final alignment of the head. 1 minute
7) Disintegration time (1/2” tap) 2 minutes
8) Pick out and clean up of the tapped hole. 2 minutes
9) Break down and put stuff away. 5 minutes

Total Time 18 minutes

For broken taps:
¼” x 1” deep –  60 seconds

3/8” x 1” deep – 1:45 minutes

½” x 1” deep- 2 minutes

¾” x 1” deep – 4 minutes

Of course, it depends on the operator and how fast he is. Could be faster or slower.

Broken Bolt Removal Examples:

Part #1
½ -13 Bolts in turbo housings
Machine: Model 2-DVQT
with 20 KVA power supply
Heat Setting: 6
Head Vibration: 100%
Electrode Consumption: .125”
Electrode Size: .375”
Electrode Type: Graphite (Poco EC3)
Fixture: Right angle plate
Disintegration time: 1:29 minutes
Clean-out time: 2:16 minutes
Total Time: 3:45 minutes

Part #2
½/- 13 Bolts in turbo housings
Machine: Model 2-DVQT with 20 KVA power supply
Heat Setting: 6
Head Vibration: 100%
Electrode Consumption: .125”
Electrode Size: .375”
Electrode Type: Graphite (Poco EC3)
Fixture: Right angle plate
Disintegration time: 1:33 minutes
Clean-out time: 1:42 minutes
Total Time: 3:15 minutes

Part #3
3/8”-16 Bolts in turbo housings
Machine: Model 2-DVQT with 20 KVA power supply
Heat Setting: 6
Head Vibration: 100%
Electrode Consumption: .125”
Electrode Size: .290”
Electrode Type: Graphite (Poco EC3)
Fixture: Right angle plate
Disintegration time: 1:19 minutes
Clean-out time: 1:30 minutes
Total Time: 2:49 minutes

See the Model 2-DVQT in Action:

10 Ways you can use Electro Arc Metal Disintegrators

When you think of a metal disintegrator you probably think of removing broken bolts.  Electro Arc metal disintegrators have a variety of uses.  Disintegrating hard metal is easy with our machines!  A minute arc causes the disintegration process at predetermined intervals.  These arcs burn microscopic pieces of your work metal.

Here are just 10 ways you can use your Electro Arc metal disintegrator to save time and money by accomplishing in minutes what would have taken you hours or days to do in the past.

Broken Taps

You can use your Electro Arc metal disintegrator to remove broken taps from any material. A machine with an Arc*er head will remove taps between #6 – 1 1/4″.  If you need to remove between #0 and 2″ or bigger, the IQ head is built to disintegrate the largest and smallest taps.  If you will be disintegrating carbide, look into our DC metal disintegrators!

Broken Studs

You can remove broken studs  with an Electro Arc metal disintegrator.  Use one of our DC models to remove larger diameter studs (2.5″ – 6″) As illustrated below:

Broken Drills

Don’t waste hours removing broken drills.  Save money and salvage your parts.

Broken Reamers

When reamers break they can be especially hard to remove.  Use your metal disintegrator to remove broken reamers with no damage to your part.

Cut Round and Shaped Holes

Your metal disintegrator can be used to cut round holes without annealing the surrounding metal regardless of the rockwell hardness!

Cut shaped holes in hardened metals using shaped electrodes.

Preserve the thread when you remove large broken taps by disintegrating out the core.  Our magnetic pick set helps you remove the sections in no time!

You can remove small diameter drills from expensive parts saving you from salvaging expensive machine parts.

When you have a frozen stud our metal disintegrators can still save you time and money by removing the broken stud, screw or bolt with two cuts.

You may have wiped out half of the thread on your broken bolt trying to remove it, broken easy-out in the hole, made a mess trying to weld out a broken stud, or totally galled the thread when you were trying to remove that broken stud.  If you really want an easy solution for removing broken studs and screws, we have your solution!  An alternative to the “two cuts” method illustrated above?  The square hole.  When you disintegrate a square hole in your broken studs you can use an socket wrench to remove them!

Save your broken end mills!  As any machine shop knows, broken end mills can shut down operations costing your company more money per hour than you can afford!  Our Metal disintegrators will save your broken end mill and save you money immediately!

An Electro Arc metal disintegrator is an investment some companies use to provide metal disintegration services for time sensitive jobs!  Most of our customers need the metal disintegrator to continue operations this is especially true for power stations, petro-chemical works, oil equipment, offshore installation ships and general process industries.  In these industries every minute is worth thousands of dollars.  If you have key piece of equipment, that needs repair due to a broken fastener you need it now!  Easy out will not cut it in these settings!

Applications go well beyond just broken stud and bolt removal.  you can cut slots 1mm wide, and 10mm deep in heavy test pieces for calibration or deep cuts through seized clevis pins.  Orientation is never a problem with our versatile disintegrating heads!

Are you looking for more applications for your metal disintegrator?  Check out our new post 10 More Ways you Can use Electro Arc Metal Disintegrators.

What are the Many Benefits of a Spark Eroder?

At Electro Arc we know that time is important to you. How often can you get things done faster without sacrificing quality? Not very often.  You will find a different experience with Electro Arc’s metal disintegrators (spark eroders).  We have been providing the world with the highest quality EDM portable and table top machines since 1947. We are celebrating 75 years of local metal disintegrator production.

  • SAVE TIME WHEN YOU USE AN ELECTRO ARC METAL DISINTEGRATOR – You can remove broken taps, drills, and bolts in seconds. This doesn’t have to be a long process using a cheap machine that may even not get the job done. Other technology can take up to hours to get done.
  • SAVE MONEY – When you use an Electro Arc metal disintegrator, you can return to normal operations fast! You will save money that could be lost on downtimes, and salvage expensive parts that can be destroyed using a cheap disintegrator or spark erosion machine, or due to the broken bolt, tap, or dowel. Scrap fewer parts and take advantage of quick problem-solving that lasts for years.
  • QUALITY – All of our machines are made to order, 50-65% of the parts are machined right here in our shop. Every machine is assembled and tested here in Dexter, Michigan. you can count on faster, more efficient, and the most cost-effective method to remove broken tools, studs, taps, bolts, drills or fasteners. These machines leave the hole intact which will minimize damage to expensive parts.
  • DURABILITY – Electro Arcs’ reputation precedes us. Our machines are built to last, we have customers using machines that are 40+ years old! Our machines stand up to the rough environment of shops, factories, production facilities, and outdoor use in mines, on off-road machinery, and in military applications.
  • SUPPORT – We have logs of every machine we have ever sold. If we made it, we repair it. We sell accessories including molybdenum electrodes (also made on-site) to support your machine.

We manufacture DC and AC machines. Our metal disintegrators work well with all hardened metals like High-Speed steel tooling. Our portable machines are versatile and ideal for use in many fields to quickly remove a broken tap, drill, or bolt and continue normal operations. Our DC machines are great for Carbides and soft cast metals.

Table top metal disintegrator
Electro Arc