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Hand Gaging of NPT (American Pipe) Threads

Illustration to show what gages are necessary to verify NPT threads.

            There are two kinds of American pipe thread, NPT and NPTF.  Both of these are tapered threads, but when screwed together tightly, the NPT, and NPTF Class 1, leaves voids at the root and crest of the threads, which, to prevent spiral leakage, need to be filled with a sealing compound at assembly.  The NPTF Class 2 (Dryseal) presumably leaves no voids, and consequently requires no sealer. NPTF threads come in two classes: Class 1 & Class 2.

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Thread Quality Control Series: GO & NO GO Checks

Stop Spinning Gages

“I just want to avoid spinning gages all day.”

We hear this sentiment from manufacturing professionals all over the world.  We were discussing this recently with a manufacturer in Wisconsin who machines large quantities of threaded parts.  Their customer requires them to “GO” and “NO GO” verify every part.  They were dealing with this requirement the way many plants do: operators stood by and spun a gage into every thread with their fingers.  Unfortunately, this method was not only burdensome, but it allowed plenty of room for operator error and repetitive motion injury.

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Launch!

Today our RT and CRD Thread-Verification Kits are available for sale on NewVistaCorp.com! Off-the-shelf Kits start at $899 and ship out in 2-3 days. You can read on below to learn more about the Kits or watch our video here:

Each Kit gives you everything you need to start verifying your threads with your own thread gages. The Kit includes:

  • A CRD or RT Handheld Thread Unit
  • New Vista’s patented Torque Limiting Device
  • A Quick-Change Toolholder
  • Tool Adapters for the three most common taper shank gage sizes
  • Battery and charging station

Additional Tool Adapters for reversible and straight shank gages are available for sale on our website. Visit our shop or contact one of our Applications Engineers to discover how to improve your thread checking process today!

Check Threads Now!

You asked. We listened.

For the last 25 years while we have worked with manufacturers to provide fast and reliable thread-verification solutions we got one question a lot:  “Don’t you have something you can send me quickly?  I need to check these threads today!”

Well, now we do.  We’re proud to announce our new line of Handheld Thread-Verification Kits that ship out in 2-3 days.  The Kits will be available for order directly from our website.  Look for our email later this month with more details about the kits and the opening of our web store!  In the meantime, watch this video to see these new Handhelds in action:

Push-Pull Thread Checks with the PPT

A picture of the PPT Bench-mounted Thread Verification/Remediation System.
The new PPT Bench-mounted Thread system.

The PPT Thread Machine is New Vista’s latest and most affordable bench-mounted, manually-operated system to date.  It can be used for thread gaging or thread remediation (chasing or retapping).  Its small footprint (400mm long, 280mm wide, 267mm high) makes it portable and it requires no programming. These factors allow for shorter deliveries and easy set-up: just plug it in, and it is ready to use. To verify a part, the operator simply pushes the part forward; to reverse, the operator only needs to pull back. If needed, this system can be operated with the kinds of hand gages that you already have, and without any fixturing or part guides at all, but for fast cycles guides can be of considerable benefit.

The PPT is supplied in two configurations: the basic PPT Unit (no depth control), and the PPT with depth control.  Adding the depth control feature allows the PPT to run faster cycles, eliminate the possibility of crossthreading, and display a full-area green flash to indicate a good part.  In either configuration, the PPT is faster and more ergonomic than any handheld unit, which necessarily requires the operator to align small or awkwardly-shaped parts by hand. This system is designed to reduce both awkwardness and cycle time, while simultaneously eliminating operator fatigue.

Watch a PPT verify and remediate several different thread sizes.

The New Vista PPT is suited for a wide range of applications and offers speed and flexibility in an affordable package. Discover how the PPT can be used for your quality application needs by contacting us today.

Robots Make Your Life Easier… Again

We strive to offer you the very best solutions for your thread inspection process, and our Robotic Thread System is no exception.

Tired of checking all your threads by hand?  Out of all New Vista’s automated thread-verification solutions the RTU is the most versatile and effective when multiple thread sizes are involved.  Learn more about the RTU Thread-Verification Solution at our website or contact us today to discuss your application.

Robotic Thread-Verification Solutions

Watch an RTU check several different thread sizes in sequence with no manual involvement in this video.

Given parts with threads all over the place and at different angles (such as a Crankcase, above): what is the best way to verify all of the threads? Fixed automation systems tend to be inflexible and expensive, and hand gaging is inefficient and unreliable, with a high probability of human error leading to missed threads. The best solution? Often it’s the New Vista Robotic RTU.

The RTU is the successor to New Vista’s popular and acclaimed STH-R1 Robotic Unit, which has been employed in production applications around the world since 2012. Now, New Vista’s new RTU Robotic Systems offer the flexibility and agility required to meet any challenge, at a fraction of the cost of fixed automation.

The RTU will easily integrate with robots of any make or model. The thread gage members employed for each application can be changed automatically, employing New Vista’s Tool Docking System. Torque and depth settings are changed automatically during operation to accommodate any thread size. New Vista’s Compliant Toolholders (supplied with every System) will accommodate both rectilinear and angular misalignments. And a new breakaway feature ensures that tooling and parts are not damaged in the event of an accidental crash.

The New Vista RTU is suited for a wide range of applications and offers speed and flexibility in an affordable package. Discover how the RTU can be used for your quality application needs by contacting us today.

The New Vista HTU Unit

Versatility can be hard to come by in the world of volume manufacturing inspection equipment. Dedicated machines can be pricey or unable to adapt to new applications. Units suitable for spot checks lack adaptability for more rigorous applications. In today’s environment of newly emerging challenges, an affordable Unit flexible enough to adapt to multimodal use will save you time, money, and the headaches of dealing with quality issues.

See the HTU/SVX in action verifying threads in a Crankcase.

The New Vista HTU Unit has been specially designed as a solution to these challenges. Compact and lightweight, this electric-driven system can be used three different ways:

  1. As a handheld Unit, the HTU is ideal for spot checks and sampling, or low volume verification of parts in a variety of sizes. Tethered to a control, the HTU offers preset depth sensing, automatic reversal out of threads, settable torque, and a green pass light, giving the operator a powerful set of features that can be quickly adapted to new parts as the need arises.
  2. To run high volumes of small parts (like nuts or sleeves), the HTU can be bench-mounted. This adaptation allows the operator to present parts to a fixed spindle by hand for thread verification that is both quicker and more ergonomic than holding small parts while running the HTU into or onto them. The bench-mounting option reduces operator strain while also reducing cycle time, mimicking the functionality of bench-mounted stations at a fraction of the cost.
  3. For large or unwieldy parts with multiple threads of different sizes, the HTU can be mounted to a counterbalanced pantograph in the HTU/SVX configuration. The HTU/SVX keeps the HTU Unit square to the thread it is checking while reducing both operator effort and error. Used in conjunction with New Vista’s Quick-Change Tool Docking equipment, changeover between thread sizes is nearly effortless. Odd-angled threads that would otherwise require repositioning the part can be verified by quickly uncoupling the HTU from the pantograph. See the HTU/SVX in action verifying threads in a Crankcase.

The New Vista HTU is suited for a wide range of applications and offers the operator speed and flexibility in an affordable package. Discover how the HTU can be used for your quality application needs by contacting us today.

Handheld Thread-Verification Solutions

TC Unit with lightLarge and cumbersome parts with threaded holes are often impossible to remove from wherever they are; they need to have their threads confirmed or cleaned wherever they happen to be. Traditionally, this has meant that when thread verification or thread remediation is required, means are employed to run “GO” gages or taps into the threads. This kind of work is either done by hand or with cordless drills or air drills. Screwing in gages or taps by hand works, but it is terribly slow. Cordless or air drills work also, but there is considerable risk of damaging the entry ends of the holes. Also, with blind holes, there is no certainty about how deep to go.

New Vista has three different handheld types of tools that resolve both these problems. The TC Thread Gun is the most popular of these, because with the TC there is no cord or hose to contend with. Damage to the entry threads is eliminated partly through its torque-limiting mechanism, and partly through the compliant toolholders that are supplied with these Units: the gage or tap will enter straight even if the gun isn’t held straight.

The standard TC Gun is equipped with quick change tooling and depth setting, allowing most internal and external “GO” thread inspections (and cleanouts) to be performed to the correct depth in 4 seconds or less. As always with New Vista designs you get (adjustable) limited torque going in, and much greater torque backing out, eliminating the possibility of jamming in the hole or cross-threading.

The trend to replace hand gaging with powered thread verification is a prime example of technology making the workplace safer and more efficient. Not only will you find that your inspection time is greatly reduced, but your operator’s risk of repetitive motion injuries (carpel tunnel) is all but eliminated when employing the TC Gun. Once set up and running there is very little maintenance required, and most customers see rapid returns on investment.

You can see a New Vista TC Thread Gun inspecting multiple holes in large Housings in video VTC2.

Contact one of New Vista’s Application Engineers today to find out what you can save by expediting your thread inspection process. Expert applications service is available from our U.S. location and in several other countries as well. Please inquire.

TSF High-Torque Thread Units

New Vista’s patented technology extends into a multitude of threading applications: thread verification, thread chasing and retapping are examples.  Retapping, for example, has proven to be a particular challenge for automotive part remanufacturers.  When parts are brought in for reconditioning, the threads tend to be damaged and dirty.  Retapping is what is needed here, and New Vista’s solution for this unique set of challenges is the TSF Thread Unit.

Popular in reconditioned-parts plants, the TSF Thread Unit is capable of retapping damaged threads and cleaning out serious contamination in thread sizes up to M18 (3/4”).   Much faster than old style retappers or drill presses, the average TSF cycle is just 3 seconds; allowing an operator to process more parts in a shift.  The TSFs will follow the existing threads, and they are equipped with a sensitive high speed drive which causes the spindle to stop when it encounters hopelessly-marred or short threads.  These features prevent common retapping problems like cutting out-of-phase threads or breaking tools.

To see a New Vista TSF Thread Unit retapping threaded holes packed with rust, dirt and plating residue in Brake Calipers, please view Video VTSF3.

Contact one of New Vista’s Application Engineers today to find out what you can save by implementing a more efficient retapping process. Expert applications service is available from our U.S. location and in several other countries as well. Please inquire.