What this is
Tapping turns a drilled hole into a threaded fastener point. The difference between a tapped hole and a drilled clearance hole is whether a screw passes through (clearance) or engages thread directly to pull two things together (tapped). For most signage and cabinet mount work you want clearance; for machined fixtures, fabricated frames and trade-grade product runs, you often want tapped.
We tap holes on the CNC in-line with the cut and drill operations. Standard metric thread sizes are the most common request — M3, M4, M5, M6, M8 — though larger and imperial sizes are available on review. For best results, tapping is done in materials with enough density to hold the thread: aluminium plate is the most common; thicker acrylic and MDF take thread too, with the understanding that the thread strength is material-dependent.
For your file, mark tapped holes on a separate layer labelled TAP-MX where X is the metric thread (TAP-M5, TAP-M6, TAP-M8). One point per hole. If a thread is blind (doesn't pass all the way through), note the target depth in your enquiry — blind taps need a thread-relief pocket below the tapped section, which costs a bit more setup time.
For short-run production where thread strength is the constraint, threaded inserts (heat-set, press-fit, or moulded-in) are often a better solution than tapped material. Talk to us about the load case and we'll suggest the right approach.