Toolholders
The Toolholder is the essential connection between the machining center and the cutting tool. The toolholder fits into and is secured by the machining center’s spindle, and in turn, secures the cutting tool such as a drill or end mill by clamping onto its shank. The taper of the toolholder matches the toolholder interface of the particular spindle. Toolholder tapers are often conical, including CAT and BT taper specifications. A different kind of taper, HSK, is not tapered at all, but instead includes a variety of flanges for securely locking the toolholder in place. Toolholders use different mechanisms for clamping the tool including set screw, collet, hydraulic compression and shrink-fit.
ESSENTIAL READING
VIEW ALL
How to Manage Cutting Tool Inventory in a Small Job Shop — The One-Person Shop #4
Working in short lead times means maintaining a large range of tools to be ready. What is the right way to stock and organize this investment?
Watch
Cutting Tool Technology Aids Lights-Out Machining Applications
These features can help improve cutting tool stability, standardize cutting performance and extend tool life, enabling shops to confidently run unattended shifts.
Read More
What To Consider When Adding Angle Heads
Angle heads can enable a three-axis machine tool to be more versatile. That said, this shop explains that there’s more to getting started using them than simply loading them into a machine’s spindle.
Read MoreVideo Shows How to Check Toolholder Runout
Here’s a video that explains how to check the runout on a collet chuck toolholder.
Read More
A Machinist’s Guide to Toolholder Maintenance
Techniks’ “Machinist’s Guide to Toolholder Maintenance” can be a handy reference for inexperienced machinists and shop veterans alike.
Read More
Why the Y?
See how Y-axis toolholders enable Swiss-type lathes to realize better chip control.
Read More
Latest Toolholders News And Updates
Lexair Handling Solutions Shorten Operation Times
IMTS 2024: Lexair Inc. is showcasing four products: the hydrodynamic Mini Rhinobar bar feeder; its Gen 3 Collet Closers; the Unload Pro unloader for unloading round workpieces and the Breuning IRCO Profimat magazine bar feeder for small to medium production runs.
Read More
Haimer Tool Management Systems Reduce Programming Times
IMTS 2024: Haimer is exhibiting a range of precision products to be used alongside WinTool and ToolBase technologies for for continuous data exchange and reduced programming times.
Read MoreAdvanced Machine & Engineering, Hennig Inc. Showcase Machine Tool Solutions
IMTS 2024: Hennig Inc. and Advanced Machine & Engineering are exhibiting a wide range of machine tool solutions together.
Read More
Pascal Engineering Clamps Optimize Tool Accessibility
IMTS 2024: Pascal Engineering Inc. is showcasing its hydraulic expansion clamps, designed to maximize workspaces, improve tool accessibility and shorten the lift stroke of workpiece loading systems.
Read More
Speedgrip Chuck Workholding Solutions Reduce Setup Times
IMTS 2024: Speedgrip Chuck Co. showcases its QCR quick-change receiver to attach to CNC lathe spindles, as well two turning chucks designed to reduce the amount of time needed to change clamping and other workholding devices.
Read More
Tungaloy, NTK Toolholding Solutions Improve Efficiency for Small-Part Machining
IMTS 2024: Tungaloy and NTK Cutting Tools are showcasing Swiss-type product lines designed for small-part machining, including toolholders, ceramic inserts, micro tools and more.
Read More
Featured Posts
Making the Most of Mixed Toolholder Assemblies
While nearly all ER systems will have cross compatibility, they’ll have small differences across manufacturers that make their implementation at the shop level not as standard.
Read More
Five Common Mistakes Shops Make with ER Collets (And How to Prevent Them)
Collets play a crucial role in the machining process, so proper tool assembly and maintenance is important. Here are five potential pitfalls to avoid when using ER collets.
Watch
How to Troubleshoot Issues With Tool Life
Diagnosing when a tool is failing is important because it sets an expectation and a benchmark for improvements. Finding out why gives us a clue for how to fix it.
Read More
Simulation and Tooling Secure High-Value Work
Simulation software and careful attention to tooling parameters have enabled Major Tool to take on ambitious projects with its complex machinery.
Read More
IMTS Takeaways From the Modern Machine Shop Editorial Team
The first in-person IMTS in four years left the MMS editorial staff with a lot to digest. Here are a few of our takeaways from the show floor.
Watch
Fixturing for the Automated Age
Koma Precision’s booth at IMTS 2022 features practical demonstrations of rotary tables, right angle heads and more.
Read More
FAQ: Toolholders
What is a HSK toolholder?
HSK, meanwhile, works by elastically deforming the toolholder. Fingers inside the hollow shank of the toolholder clamp the holder by pushing out. High spindle speed helps this interface, because the centrifugal force strengthens this clamping.
Source: Testing Measures Impact of Toolholder Interface Rigidity
How does a hydraulic toolholder work?
The hydraulic toolholder works by using fluid to compress an internal membrane within the holder body. The hydraulic fluid delivers uniform pressure around the membrane allowing it to compress equally around the periphery of the cutting tool. Basically, that’s how the hydraulic toolholder delivers its high concentricity specs.
Source: Why Use Hydraulic Toolholders
What is a toolholder?
The toolholder is the connection between the machining center and the cutting tool, employing clamping mechanisms such as set screws, collets, and shrink-fit.
Toolholders Supplier Categories
