/
Flow Drilling & Thread Forming
Load-bearing threads in thin-walled materials
Form threads without chips, reduce operations and create permanently stable connections.
With Flowdrill flow drilling and thread forming technology you create high-strength threads in thin-walled tubes and sheet metal – entirely without weld nuts or rivet nuts. Frictional heat deforms the material plastically and draws it out into a stable bush. The length of this bush can be approximately 3 to 5 times the original material thickness. The thread is then formed without chips rather than cut. The result is strong, precise and durable threads with high pull-out strength.
Flow drills and thread formers are ideal for professional metalworking, for example for railings, glass clamps, handrails, canopies and numerous other steel and stainless steel structures. Combined with the CREA-DRILL drilling centre and the CREA-TAPP tapping device, they make for a particularly efficient and reliable production workflow.
The solid carbide tools allow fast, chipless flow drilling and thread forming in just a few operations. This reduces assembly work, saves material and process costs and improves the quality of your connections at the same time. Flow drills and thread formers are available from stock in sizes M3 to M12 and are suitable for numerous applications in metalworking.
Typical applications
Bolting glass clamps to railing posts
Point-fixed glass clamps for canopies
Screw connections with a sealing face on tubes
Bearing points / joints
Brazed and welded joints
Joining dissimilar materials
Sealing faces, e.g. chamfer for O-rings
Practical starter set for railing construction
1 pc. CREAMETAL special tool holder with cooling ring
1 pc. hook spanner and open-ended spanner
1 pc. collets
1 pc. flow drill for M6 and M8
1 pc. thread former M6 and M8
1 pc. special release agent for flow forming
1 pc. brass brush
1 pc. special lubricant for thread forming
1 pc. bristle brush
1 pc. set case
Available from stock, M3 to M12
Flow drill long/with collar
Flow drill long/flat
Thread former M3 to M12
Collet from 6,0 to 12,0 mm diameter
Tool holders with MK2, MK3, spindle thread ½-20
Buy now in the shop
Flow Drilling & Thread Forming in action
Load-bearing threads in thin-walled materials
Key facts at a glance
Load-bearing threads in thin-walled materials
Create high-strength threads in tubes and sheet metal – entirely without weld nuts or rivet nuts. Pressed against thin-walled metallic materials at high speed and with high axial force, the flow drill, or flow former, generates extreme frictional heat. This allows the material to be plasticised locally at the drilling position.
Fewer operations, more efficiency
Flow drilling and thread forming are completed in just two operations. That saves time and simplifies the entire manufacturing process.
Lasting, secure connections
The material is compacted and formed instead of cut. The special geometry of the thread former means that its edges push the material to the side and raise it into a ridge which, after several turns, takes on the shape of the grooves. The result is precise threads with high pull-out strength and excellent process reliability.
Ideal for metalworking
Perfect for railings, glass clamps, canopies, tubular structures and many other applications involving thin-walled materials.
Economical and durable
Flowdrill flow drills, also known as flow formers, are solid carbide tools with a polygonal contour. They impress with long tool life, low wear and low tooling costs.
Work cleanly and precisely
The chipless process produces exact threads, reduces material consumption and makes additional fasteners unnecessary.
FAQ Flow Drilling & Thread Forming
The flow drill is made of carbide and can produce several thousand holes. Carbide is, however, sensitive to impact – it should not be dropped, for example.
Yes and no. Freehand work is not possible, as the flow drill has to be guided with a high axial force. There are, however, mobile applications using a small drill stand.
No, quite the opposite. The flow drill brings the material to a glow and has to become very hot in the process. The cooling ring on the tool holder prevents the machine spindle from overheating during continuous operation.
