Now available in the UK from Tamworth-based
International Tooling Corporation (ITC), is the new HSK-EZ15 MEGA Micro collet chuck from
BIG Kaiser, specifically designed for for the production of smaller workpieces for sectors including jewellery, watches, and micromachining. This new tool is designed according to the HSK-EZ15 standard, a new interface used by the latest machine tools, which replaces the previous ATC-E15. HSK-EZ15 sets a new standard for compactness and precision by enabling the miniaturisation of spindles and by meeting the demands for precision, performance and reliability of the micro-technology market.
The new collet is available in three variations with outer diameters of 10mm, 12mm, and 14mm. Each is perfectly suited for high-speed machining from 0.45 to 6.05mm shaft size, maintaining a perfect runout of under 3µm at four-times diameter. These collet holders can be used at speeds up to 80,000rev/min.
For watchmaking, the MEGA Micro collet chuck offers a compact, easy-to-use solution that allows quick re-tooling for new parts. Its excellent guaranteed run-out accuracy — under 3µm — meets the exacting standards of watchmakers. Additionally, it provides high-positioning accuracy, excellent repeatability, and noiseless operation.
The tool has a slim body and nut, and is designed with the highest rigidity for high-speed machining and reduced interference. It has a notch-free nut for high-speed applications, which prevents vibration and noise, and offers superior balance and concentricity. This nut design eliminates whistling noise and coolant splattering and assures increased strength of the nut itself.
Giampaolo Roccatello, BIG Kaiser’s chief sales and marketing officer for Europe, said: “HSK-EZ15 is an innovative way of integrating functions into small spindles that were previously only possible with much larger spindles, such as presetting outside the machine to save time and increase productivity.”
He concluded: “BIG Kaiser was the first company to believe in this project and to develop an industrial tool-holder that would allow these machines to be sold in series. Using a smaller spindle with its reduced mass and physical dimensions enables a sustained reduction in energy consumption.”