What follows the roughing teeth on a broach and makes lighter cuts?

The correct answer is semi-finishing teeth. In the broaching process, the purpose of semi-finishing teeth is to refine the workpiece after the roughing teeth have significantly removed material. The roughing teeth are designed to remove the bulk of the material quickly and leave a rough surface. Semi-finishing teeth then follow to make lighter cuts, improving the quality of the surface finish and bringing the workpiece closer to its final shape and tolerances.

By gradually reducing the amount of material removed, semi-finishing teeth help in achieving a smoother surface and tighter tolerances without the heavy force that roughing operations require. This stage is critical for ensuring that the final finish is acceptable for the intended application. In contrast, finishing teeth would proceed after semi-finishing, providing the final polish or last minute adjustments, indicating that their role is different and comes later in the broaching sequence.