NPT Threads

Technical Manual
 Contents
Part One Part Two
Choosing a threading tool…...…... Pg. 4 Hole Prep………………………….. Pg. 11
Tap Overview………………….….. Pg. 5 Projection Length………………… Pg. 12
- Skip tooth………………….…... Pg. 6 Recommended Hole Diameters… Pg. 14
Thread Mill Overview……….……. Pg. 7 Drilling Depth – Taps ……………. Pg. 15
-Single Plane…………………..….. Pg. 8 Drilling Depth – Thread Mills …… Pg. 16
-Gigantic System…………………. .Pg. 9 Pre-Tapered Holes ………………. Pg. 17
One of the least understood, and most challenging areas in modern machine
shops is the production of tapered pipe threads. Very few machine operators
understand how the thread is intended to work, let alone the varied
challenges in creating these threads in different materials and applications.

This manual provides an overview of NPT threading and the variety of tools
and process available to create this thread type.
 NPT Threading Solutions

Tooling Options:

Tap Skip Tooth Full Form Single Plane

Tap Thread Mill Thread Mill
A single plane thread mill
The oldest option is still
one of the best.
Skip tooth taps can work
well in long chipping
Thread milling is
becoming the go to can sometimes be Insertable Thread Mill
difficult materials, where solution for producing necessary if the machine Our insertable Gigantic system is
Usually fastest cycle standard taps have been NPT threads in difficult to does not have a spindle great for if you have a need to create
time. shown to fail. machine materials, capable of dealing with the a large NPT thread in a relatively
including many alloys high radial forces needed small CNC machine.
Has significant Required torque is common in aerospace. for full form thread milling.
disadvantages when reduced. Or if the tool holding The inclusion of full profile NPT
dealing with strong long The downside is thread solution is less than ideal. thread inserts allow the Gigantic
chipping materials Usually not milling can take slightly system to machine the required
recommended when longer for cycle time. Again, this option takes 100% thread height of the NPT
using a pre tapered hole. longer. thread form.

4
Tapping

Tried and true. Using a tapping strategy is the original tooling

option for making NPT threads. In many cases a basic full profile tap is
the best option for a tapered thread application.

Pros Cons
Quick- tapping cycles are usually the fastest way Torque- Running a tapered tap requires quite a bit
To generate an NPT thread. more horsepower than a standard straight thread
tap, of similar size.
Easy- Everyone running a machine tool will know
how to program a tapping cycle. (or at least they Chip Control- Due to the high amount of material a
should) tapered tap needs to remove from the prepared
hole, chip clogging is a very real hazard.
Accessible- NPT taps are available at almost any
cutting tool manufacturer. Material- When dealing with the more difficult to
machine materials, especially modern high temp
alloys common in aerospace, a tap option will not be
capable of making the thread.

5
 Tapping

Basic Upgrade. If you want to use a tap for your NPT application,
but you are running into chip control issues. Skip Tooth Taps can
sometimes provide some relief

Pros Cons
Same- The basic advantages of using a tap apply Chip Control- Due to the high amount of material a
to a skip tooth design as well. tapered tap needs to remove from the prepared
hole, chip clogging is a very real hazard.
Drag- By reducing drag skip tooth designs can help
to alleviate some of the torque load when removing Material- When dealing with the more difficult to
the excess material from the tapered thread form. machine materials, especially modern high temp
alloys common in aerospace, a tap option will not be
capable of making the thread.

Availability- Compared to traditional taps, skip

tooth designs are less common, and can be more
expensive than the lower tech counterparts.

6
 Thread Milling

In many applications an NPT thread needs to be machined into a

material that is just too difficult to run a tap in (titanium or many High
Temp alloys). In this case a Carbide Thread Mill is your only option.

Pros Cons
Range- By turning to an interrupted cutting process such as
milling, we uncouple the cutter from the massive torque load Speed- Compared to tapping options, thread milling
necessary to cut the NPT thread in one long continuous cut. the NPT form is almost always a longer cycle time.
Meaning you can make a large NPT thread using a significantly
smaller machine. Deflection- Because of the radial pressure involved
with the spiral interpolation of the cycle, only
Chip Control- Because thread milling is an interrupted cutting extremely strong rigid tool holding solutions will work
process, it produces small easily controlled chip shapes. effectively. NO ER COLLETS.

Material- When dealing with the more difficult to machine

materials, especially modern high temp alloys common in
aerospace, thread milling will be the only option capable of
making the thread.

7
 Thread Milling

Single Plane Thread Mill

In some cases, the need to cut an NPT thread using an ER collet cannot
be avoided. This is when a single plane thread mill would usually be
recommended. By reducing the axial length of engagement on the tool
down to one pitch of thread, we gain a high degree of stability on top of the
normal benefits of thread milling.

This is also useful when making a thread in a particularly difficult material.

Important! Cycle time will be increased, but process reliability will be increased as
well.
Because the single plane
thread mill is not
designed to cut at the
crest of the thread, the
minor diameter MUST be
tapered to the NPT
specification before
utilizing this option.
Thread Milling

Single Plane / Insertable

Taking the benefits of the single plane thread mill one step further. A final option for cutting tapered threads, is
an insertable thread mill type cutter. Such as the Emuge Gigantic.

The Gigantic thread milling system combined with an NPT full profile insert design, which helps alleviate burrs
and minor inconsistencies on the produced thread crest. This insert can eliminate the need to have a large
high torque machine to create large NPT threads.

Important!
Because the single plane thread mill is not designed to cut large
amounts of material at the crest of the thread, the minor diameter
MUST be tapered to the NPT specification before utilizing this option.
Cylindrical Hole

The first step to creating an internal NPT thread is a

cylindrical hole.
Whether you are planning to produce your thread with
a tap or thread mill, and whether you plan to cut the
thread into the cylindrical hole or save wear on your
threading tool by preparing the taper before threading.
The first step must by necessity be producing the hole.

Hole Prep
10
Hole Making Strategies

Three NPT thread hole making strategies:

• 1 - Drilling
Assuming you have a machine which can handle the torque required of a drill the diameter needed for your NPT
thread size, this is the quickest, and normally the most efficient option for creating your hole prior to threading.

• 2 - Helical Interpolation
If you are in a smaller machine attempting to make a larger NPT thread you will find that due to the greater torque
required to turn a drill, your best option will probably be to opt for a smaller diameter straight end mill. Which can
then be programmed to helically interpolate for a hole-making cycle. Then circle milling out to the required diameter.

• 3 - Combination
A third option would be to combine the first two into two stage operation. By using a smaller drill diameter, just large
enough so that you can plunge an endmill of sufficient cutting length to achieve the needed hole depth you can
quickly and efficiently achieve larger hole diameters in smaller machine tools.

11
Projection Length

Gage Plane
L1

L1 Depth L2

The basic “useable thread” called for by the NPT standard is longer by several turns than the actual portion of
the thread which will be gaged (L1) dimension. In many cases this fact will be used by engineers to call for a
“short projection” NPT. Particularly in tight spaces or thin-walled components.

Short Projection taps are available as a modified standard or complete special.

Contact Emuge at www.emuge.com with the minimum drilling depth requirement to determine the best solution.
Projection Length - Caveat

Important Note

The following pages will explain what dimensionality you will need to prepare holes to properly cut your NPT
thread given your specific choices of tooling. This assumes the following:.
The first assumption is that the goal is to produce a thread to the basic NPT engagement length.
The second is that that the selected tap has a standard 2-3 pitch cutting chamfer.
If this is not the case and you are dealing with a modified tap or thread.
Contact your local Emuge sales engineer or Technical@Emuge.com for additional support.

13
 Recommended Hole Diameters

The recommended diameter of your cylindrical hole will change dependent upon
whether you plan to thread the hole from a straight cylindrical or whether you plan
to apply the NPT 1° 47’ 20” taper to the hole prior to threading.

Please Note- In the below chart the D1 dimension refers to the recommended diameter for the straight cylindrical hole, the D2
dimension is the recommended drilling diameter if you intend to add the taper to the hole prior to threading.

14
Drilling Depth – Taps

The T1 dimension is referring to the minimum safe depth for the

prepared hole diameter, specifically when using a standard
projection length tap, with typical Form C style cutting chamfer.

This is the minimum drill depth to full diameter to create enough

room to make the NPT thread with a conventional TAP.

15
Drilling Depths – Thread Mills

The T4 dimension, is the minimum depth of the full diameter

for the prepared hole when THREAD MILLING.

This differs from the previous T1 dimension because when you

are using a milling strategy there is no need to have a cutting
chamfer on the tool. In this way we reduce the need to drill
quite as deep for the application.

16
 Creating Tapered Holes

There are a couple of reasons to create an NPT 1/16 taper in a

pre-drilled hole (D1) prior to threading.

When Tapping:
Adding an additional machining operation prior to tapping an
NPT thread will significantly increase the tool life of the tap and
reduce the chip volume – preventing chip jamming.

When Thread Milling:

NPT threads created by thread milling require the creation of a
tapered hole prior to thread milling in order to prepare the minor
diameter of the thread.

17
Creating Tapered Holes

Option 1 A tapered reamer is a viable option if the machine has

Tapered Reamer enough torque to turn the tool.

It is not an option in work hardening materials or high

tensile materials that reamers are ineffective machining.

Depending on what tool you are using you may need

additional drilling depth to achieve the proper minor
diameter.

18
Creating Tapered Holes

Option 2
Milling Interpolation Milling the taper with a
3-Axis Machine

The Emuge NPT Conical End Mill is an end mill design

with the proper taper angle ground into the conical form.

Using a conical end mill, a relatively smaller machine tool

we can prepare the minor diameter of some of the largest
NPT sizes.

Part Number Size

NPT Conical End Mill 3914A.037020 3/8" NPT Tapered Carbide End Mill
3914A.050020 1/2" NPT Tapered Carbide End Mill
3914A.075030 3/4" NPT Tapered Carbide End Mill

19
 20

For detailed application instructions for using the

New NPT Conical End Mill, please contact the

EMUGE-FRANKEN Technical Team at

800-323-3013 or email technical@emuge.com