Turning Shrink-Fit on Its Side

Toolholders with HSK interfaces are said to be the best option for micromachining applications. That’s primarily because the toolholder’s hollow-shank design enables its taper to maintain full contact with the spindle as the spindle expands, while a consistent Z-axis tool length is maintained via the face contact provided by the toolholder. Haimer, located in Booth W-1464, has developed a new oriented shrink-fit machine to speed and simplify cutter changes using these toolholders. Unlike most, however, this device is horizontally oriented.

The Power Clamp Nano shrink-fit machine supports solid carbide and HSS tools in diameters ranging from 3 to 16 mm. Horizontal orientation is a distinguishing design element of this compact new shrink-fit machine. The company found that it is easier to insert and remove small-diameter tools horizontally rather than vertically, because it can be difficult to access tiny tools using vertical shrink-fit machines.

The heating coil used in the Power Clamp Nano was developed specifically for micro-shrink-fit toolholders, too, with their characteristic slim profiles and small nose diameters. With typical inductive coils, there is a considerable distance from the inside of the coil to the outside nose diameter of a small toolholder. Consequently, efficiently opening the bore of the toolholder without damaging it by overheating requires accessories. In addition, conventional inductive coils aren’t well-suited for use with non-magnetic, stainless steel toolholders. However, the Power Clamp Nano’s appropriately sized 13-kW coil can effectively heat standard small toolholders as well as stainless steel versions without the need for additional accessories and without damaging the toolholders. Complete heating takes 2 seconds, while the machine’s air-cooling unit cools the toolholder in less than 1 minute, the company says.