Our broaches meet most standards i.e. BS, ISO, EN, ASTM and many other International Standard notch profiles.

Due to the variety of broaches and notch configurations, broaches are ordered separately.

All broaches, which have a unique serial number, are tested to ensure that they cut the correct form before despatch and a Certificate of Conformance is issued with each broach.

Our broaches are manufactured using the latest CNC grinding techniques at our factory in Kent, giving customers the reassurance that they are purchasing a quality product.

STANDARD BROACHES
Our standard broaches are designed for use on carbon and low alloy steels. 

HARD CUT COATED BROACHES
 

This is a superior broach to the standard broach and is recommended for use on our Variable Speed Machine for tougher, harder and stainless steel materials to extend tool life.
 
If used on our Hand Machine, tool life is dependant on a smooth cutting action by the operator and the machining difficulty of the material.

PLEASE NOTE

When notching steels with a greater hardness than in the tables above and notching "superalloys" on our variable speed broaching machine with “hard cut” broaches, the broach life will be dependant on the machinability of the material

For difficult to machine materials - if you have doubts about the suitability of our broaches to notch your material we would ask you to check with us for confirmation that our broaches are suitable.

Please be aware that following trials we have found that our "hardcut" broaches will not notch, Stellite 6.

Broaches are a cutting tool and are considered a consumable item. Broaches will wear and without care teeth can break, so warranties on our broaches are generally excluded.

BROACHING MACHINABILITY
 

Many test houses ask RJW Ltd “what material hardness can your broaches notch”?
Broaching specimens on our machines is dependent on the process machinability. Broaching machinability is best summarised as how easy the broach can cut the notch in the specimen material and is not solely dependent on the materials hardness. The cutting of the notch is dependent on the type of machine and broach used and also the specimen material properties.

1 - The type of machine
General machine explanation:

CNB35 Hand broaching machines are suitable for broaching small quantities of easy to moderate, machinable materials. These broaching machines do not have a constant cutting action compared to our motorised broaching machines and this non-constant cutting action could influence the broach life.

CNB31 Fixed speed motorised broaching machines are suitable for broaching large quantities of easy to moderate, machinable materials. This machine has a constant cutting action, which will help improve broach life. The easiest way to explain its limitation is to compare drilling mild steel and stainless steel with a twist drill. If the drilling machine has a set speed for drilling mild steel and then a stainless steel material is drilled, the drill cutting edge will rapidly fail because the drill speed is too fast. Our fixed speed broaching machine has a cutting speed set to broach general mild steel specimens.

CNB34 Variable speed motorised broaching machines are suitable for broaching easy to difficult, machinable materials. This machine has a constant cutting action and a broach speed which can be altered, allowing it to broach a range of different materials.

2 -The type of broach

Always apply cutting oil to the broach.

Our standard uncoated broaches are suitable for easy to moderate, machinable specimens.

Our hard cut broaches are suitable for easy to difficult, machinable specimens. Hard cut broaches should increase broach life, providing an even cutting action is applied.

“V” and “U” broaches. The volume of material cut when producing U notches is greater than V notches, so when cutting materials with more difficult machinability properties, U notch broach life will be less than V notch broaches.

All our broaches are made in our factory in Kent. Our broaches are ground on a CNC grinder, made with European sourced material and vacuum heat treated to ensure their quality.

3 - Specimen material properties

The machinability of the specimen material is dependent on its, chemical composition, heat treated condition, hardness, if it is welded at the notch section, if the material work hardens, yield and tensile strength. The specimen’s material properties will affect the broach life.

For example stainless steel is softer than carbon steel, but stainless steel machinability is more difficult than carbon steel. When broaching stainless steel compared with carbon steel, the broach speed must be slowed. The tool life when broaching stainless steel will be less than carbon steel, as a stainless steel specimen is more difficult to broach than a carbon steel specimen, i.e. its machinability is more difficult.

When machining stainless steels & super alloys care must be taken when machining the 10 mm square or sub-size specimen, to ensure the surfaces are not work hardened. If the surfaces are work hardened then broach life can be dramatically reduced.

Broach Regrind Service
 

We also offer a broach regrind service. Please note this is dependant upon the condition of the broach. We only grind the land (cutting edge) and not the form. Generally if the form is worn or more than one tooth adjacent to another are broken then it may not be practicable to re-sharpen the broach.