Broaching: the route, the tolerances it holds, materials and design tips, with an indicative cost. One of 56 processes in the free finder.
MachiningFamily
+/-0.02mmTypical tol.
5Route steps
24Parts in finder
Broaching pushes or pulls a toothed tool through or across a part, each tooth cutting a little deeper, to form a precise internal or external profile in one pass.
At a glance
When to use it, and when not
Best for
Keyways, splines, internal gears and odd-shaped holes in volume.
Watch for
High tool cost per profile; best justified at volume.
Step by step
The typical route
Raw material to finished part. Steps vary with material, volume and tolerance; this is the free route from the finder.
Fixture
Fixture the part to the broach.
Tooling Fixture Tolerance - Lead -
Broach
Pull/push the broach to cut the profile in one pass.
Tooling Broach Tolerance - Lead -
Clean
Clean chips and burrs.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Heat-treat
Harden after broaching (done soft).
Tooling Furnace Tolerance - Lead -
Inspect
Check the profile/class.
Tooling - Tolerance - Lead -
Precision
Tolerances it can hold
TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials
Materials it suits
Grade
Why it suits this
Steels (annealed)
Broach before hardening
Stainless
Harder on the tool
Design
Design tips
A few general pointers for Broaching. The full, part-specific DFM list is in the dossier.
Keyways, splines, internal profiles; the custom broach is the cost, then it is very fast per part.
PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for your part at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$76 to 130per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
GET THE FULL DOSSIER
Everything you need to quote and source it
The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on this process and buy it well:
Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
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Broaching pushes or pulls a toothed tool through or across a part, each tooth cutting a little deeper, to form a precise internal or external profile in one pass. The typical route is: Fixture; Broach; Clean; Heat-treat; Inspect. Keyways, splines, internal gears and odd-shaped holes in volume.
What does Broaching cost per part?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $76 to 130 per part at low volume and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. Model estimates, not quotes.
What tolerance can Broaching hold?
Typically about +/-0.02 mm, tighter with extra finishing operations at higher cost.
What materials suit Broaching?
Common choices are Steels (annealed) (Broach before hardening); Stainless (Harder on the tool).
See the exact route and should-cost for your part
The free finder maps your part to its process and full route. Pro adds should-cost at your volume, sourcing and an RFQ draft.
