tooling & workholding
The world’s
smallest nose
SIMULTANEOUS 5-axis machining provides
many well documented benefits, but the
correct adoption of this advanced machining
process results in a number of hurdles that
have to be overcome. For example,
programming the machine tool is more
complex than say the code required for 3- or
even 4-axis machining. Any fixturing has to
be both robust enough to provide the
required rigidity and open enough to allow
the spindle access to the raw material.
Assuming the cutting tool has access past the
fixtures its path into complex cavities or
ability to stay tangential to any free form
surface has to be considered, as does the
clamping rigidity of the tool itself.
These last two points are vital to both the
accuracy of the finished geometric form of
the cut part as well as its surface finish. And,
it is these concerns
that are addressed by
Kojex’s range of DC Slim
Chucks. Available exclusively from YMT
Technologies Tooling Division, the Kojex
range of DC6 Slim Chucks feature the world’s
smallest outside diameter at just 13mm. This
compact nose size was achieved by designing
the chuck without an external nut. Instead,
the tool shank is held firmly in the collet by
means of a draw screw pulling it back into
the internal taper. Kojex collets offer internal
diameters to hold tools of between 2 and 6
mm and the TIR for the DC Slim Chuck
range is less than 5 micron (4 x D).
Designed for applications on high speed
machining centres, the DC Slim Chuck is
dynamically balanced up to 30,000 rpm. As
YMT Technologies’ tooling and equipment
Enquiry Number: 39
60 MWP july 2008
manager, Jason Short, explains: ‘High speed
machining strategies, such as whisker
cutting, raceline and trochoidal machining,
often rely on small diameter tools to achieve
both the material removal rate required and
the surface finish. The Kojex DC Slim Chuck
provides the rigidity and accuracy required to
perform these strategies with the added
benefit of increased tool access compared to
any other collet chuck on the market.’
Kojex was established in 1988, and
specialises in manufacturing high quality
tool holders and collets for machining
centres. For the past five years the company
has been developing collets to be used on
ultra high speed spindles. Now Kojex has the
ability to supply collets for spindles up to
120,000revs/min.
www.ymtltd.co.uk
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