Pack of 5 x M3 x 4.1mm Threaded Brass Inserts for Plastic

Product Information

We will also supply and fit a range of standard metric HELICOIL® inserts, with a thread length of 1 × thread diameter (D), 1.5D and 2D. If you require fitted inserts, let us know by using the special instructions button on your quote; please include insert length and location information. To accommodate displaced material, I suggest increasing the hole depth by about 50% of the insert length. This change ensures that the displaced plastic has somewhere to go and doesn’t fill up the cavity where the insert should be. The two main categories of plastics suitable for Threaded Insert installation are thermosets and thermoplastics. Thermoset plastics, once formed, undergo an irreversible chemical change and cannot be reformed using heat and pressure. These plastics are tough and heat-resistant. Examples of thermosets are Bakelite, epoxies, urea and polyester resins. Heat/ Ultrasonic Inserts are not suitable for thermosets since this type of plastic can not be reformed. Thermoset plastics require the use of Molded-In, Press-In, or Self-Tapping Inserts. First, make sure that your soldering iron has completely reached its set temperature before using it to install inserts. If we try installing an insert while the iron is still rising to its setpoint, the process just takes longer, and all that heat from the iron is spending more time diffusing into our part, causing it to warp. For threading on turned parts simply model the nominal diameter; there is no need to model the threads.

SPIROL offers a variety of Threaded Inserts for Plastics to meet your performance and installation requirements including Press-In, Self-Tapping, Heat / Ultrasonic and Molded-In Inserts in standard thread sizes ranging from M2 (2-56) to M8 (5/16-18) – depending on Insert type. In the next example below, this insert was set without using the plate-press technique. Notice that nasty “bulge” of excess material that beads up around the insert. That’s precisely the bulge that we can remove when we use the final plate-press technique. What is the minimum thread depth? Our software will recognise threadable holes that have a depth of at least 1.5 x thread pitch. Heat/Ultrasonic Inserts are designed for post-mold installation in thermoplastics. Heat and ultrasonic installation of these Threaded Inserts yield outstanding performance results. Available in long and short variations, long for maximum torque and pull-out resistance; short for less stringent requirements with the benefits of lower cost and reduced installation time.Adding a counter bore will enable the thread tool to reach further. A counter bore, or countersink, is also a great Design for Assembly (DfA) feature. We can only support modelled threads larger than M12 or UNC ½”-13 (½” Unified Course by 13 Thread Per Inch (TPI)) or greater – they will be milled using a ball cutter. Other guides suggest adding a small taper to the hole feature. This is a nifty feature that enables inserts to seat themselves into the hole before installing them with heat. Some inserts are themselves tapered, which has the same seating effect on an un-tapered hole. Adding this tapered feature (or buying the slightly-more-expensive tapered inserts) isn’t necessary, but it does make the installation process easier. Slicer Settings:

If one of SPIROL's standard Threaded Inserts does not meet your needs, our Application Engineers will work with you to design a custom Insert to meet your unique requirements. The Minimum Ø and Maximum Ø are the limits our software uses to recognise holes that can be threaded This final step of the process seems odd, but it’s critical for two reasons. First, it seats the insert so that it’s both vertical and completely flush with the top of the printed part. Second, it flattens any bulging material that flared up while we were installing the insert. Threaded Inserts for Plastics provide reusable threads and preserve the bolted joint integrity for the life of the application. Since an Insert is generally twice the diameter of a screw, the shear surface is increased fourfold, thereby significantly enhancing the load carrying ability of the bolted plastic joint as compared to one without the use of a metal Threaded Insert. Threaded Inserts for Plastics also allow the appropriate installation torque to be applied to the screw without stripping the threads that would otherwise occur if the screw was installed directly into the plastic. In addition, the metal thread of an Insert provides permanent creep resistance for the entire load path of the thread to prevent loosening and maintain a durable tightly threaded connection.Thread milling is more reliable than manual tapping, but for the best results thread depth is regulated to about 2.5 times the thread diameter (refer to maximum depth in the table below). Don’t worry if your hole is longer or shorter, here’s how our software will design your thread: SPIROL provides general design guidelines to help select the most appropriate Threaded Insert for your specific plastic assembly. Each application has unique considerations such as the specific plastic type in which the Threaded Insert will be used, torque and tensile requirements, corrosion resistance, temperature requirements, and installation methods. The brass heat-set threaded insert is placed on the insertion tip of the installation equipment and aligned with the 3D prints insert cavity. The insert is heated to the glass transition temperature of the 3D printed material before being pressed into the cavity with a downwards vertical force. The hot insert melts the thermoplastic material which flows around the insert as it is pressed down. When the insert reaches flush with the surface of the print, the installation equipment is removed. As the insert cools, the polymer solidifies around the left right helical grooves in the insert, securing it in place. + Can you 3D print threaded holes? The first portion of the hole will be threaded (to a depth of about Ø×2.5 ) or refer to MAX THREAD DEPTH in the table below).

Thermoplastics are rigid and solid at normal temperatures, and at elevated temperatures they soften and melt. Some of the more common thermoplastics are ABS, polyamide (eg. Nylon 6-6), PVC and polycarbonate (PC). Press-In, Self-Tapping, Heat / Ultrasonic and Molded-In Inserts are suitable for plastics in this category. Press-In Inserts are installed by simply pressing the Insert into a molded plastic hole. Ideal for use in softer plastics, Press-In Inserts provide a reusable thread to meet the tightening torque requirements of a threaded joint. SPIROL's Press-In Inserts are available with or without a head, and offer moderate pull-out and good torque resistance.Obstruction by other features of your part, lead-in treatments, or fixturing requirements may reduce the maximum depth of threads. First, we want to make sure that our installed insert is still “grabbing” onto material after we install it. An installed insert displaces material outwards during installation, so adding layers improves the odds that we haven’t melted through it upon installation. Larger, oversized threads can be 3D printed from polymer materials, however, typically these components have high friction, poor tolerances and wear over time. Smaller, metric sized threads are generally too fine to 3D print. Metal alternatives for threads outperform thermoplastic materials used with 3D printing. Therefore, tapping or machining a thread after 3D printing is less durable than using a threaded insert. + Can you remove threaded inserts?

On parts that require externally milled threads, you must design the threads on your part. We manufacture your design using flat and ball end mills. It is not the preferred method for producing threads, but can be useful for producing ¼ turn fasteners or helical and camming features. SPIROL’s Inserts are designed to maximize and balance rotational torque and tensile (pull-out) performance. Attention to knurl and thread quality further enhances performance. SPIROL offers a comprehensive line of Threaded Inserts for Plastics to suit the installation method, plastic type and performance requirements of your specific application. Finally, my last tool for this process is a small square of thin sheet-metal, about 150x150mm (6″x6″). This sheet becomes a “flat” reference that I’ll discuss in the process later. Designing for Inserts: Now that we’ve got a handle on designing and prepping parts for inserts, let’s get to the installation procedure. Next, with the insert positioned in the hole, apply heat to the insert. Let the weight of the soldering iron tool itself apply the gentle force needed to push the insert into position. Gravity should be doing most of the work here. This process takes about 10-15 seconds. Keep applying heat until your insert is about 90% seated into your part.We can make our 3D-printed parts even more capable when we start mixing them with some essential “mechanical vitamins.” By combining prints with screws, nuts, fasteners, and pins, we get a rich ecosystem for mechanism-making with capabilities beyond what we could simply print alone.