Thread rolling

The founder of Redcliffe, Geoff Sage, first developed the Company’s specialism in thread rolling. 

His early investment in 10 tonne BSA machine allowed Redcliffe to progressively build its reputation as a specialist supplier of plunge thread rolling services to the UK aerospace sector.

Redcliffe specializes in niche high precision thread rolling, primarily on small batches of parts, supplying high technology industries, including aerospace and motorsports, that require extremely tight tolerance threads with super surface finishes, and the extra strength inherent in parts made by this cold flow forming process.

High precision thread rolling is a hands-on niche process. The team at Redcliffe operates a ‘fleet’ of twin headed thread rolling machines covering the 7 to 70 tonne spectrum. To optimise operations die rolls are interchangeable between most machines.  The process is unique and requires a degree of specialism and “feel”: not everyone can be a successful thread rolling operator.

Properly formed threads require that the dies are exactly lined up and track properly in order to avoid internal defects, such as overlaps, cracks, folds, seams, and craters. A destructive thread inspection method is used at Redcliffe in its micro structure testing metallurgical laboratory to identify internal defects and to verify that the proper material grain flow has been achieved. Representative samples are tested at the beginning of each new set up, and periodically during the course of a production run.

The most common threads rolled by Redcliffe are UNF, UNC, UNJF, and UNJC forms. “J” form threads have a larger controlled root radius for added strength in the high stress area of a thread and are common to the aerospace industry.