What are the benefits of using a hydraulic chuck? Cutwel Ltd

What is a hydraulic chuck?

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A hydraulic chuck is a type of spindle tooling, which are typically used on CNC milling machines to hold cutting tools. Hydraulic chucks are designed to be used in applications where high accuracy and rigidity is needed.

Hydraulic chucks are filled with hydraulic fluid which is pressurised when the grub screw (on the side of the holder) is engaged. This process closes the bore of the tool holder, clamping the tool in place with forces up to 890kN (commonly found in high torque hydraulic chucks).

When would you use a Hydraulic Chuck?

Hydraulic chucks are becoming more popular due to their higher levels of versatility over shrink fit chucks. You would opt for a hydraulic chuck when you want unbeatable performance for tooling. The combination of high clamping forces and low run-out work hand in hand, giving your tooling the best chance of success.

Not only this, but due to the increased confidence given by a hydraulic chuck, you will be able to push your tooling faster and harder. Higher productivity is achieved, as well as making you more competitive through improved tool life, greater metal removal rates and slashed cycle times. Tools can also be changed in the machine spindle, a feature not present in shrink fit chucks. Over time, the initial cost of a hydraulic chuck will be more than covered by these benefits.

Next generation tooling is manufactured with advanced geometries that push machines much further than before. A standard side lock arbor or collet chuck would not compliment these new tooling innovations appropriately. Instead, you&#;d be underperforming in your cutting data whilst achieving a poor surface finish (due to vibrations/run-out) which may even cause your cutting tool to chip or break.

When machining materials like Titanium, Inconel and Stainless Steel, tool pull-out is common in collet systems, especially when using advanced machining techniques like high feed or trochoidal milling. Having exceptionally high clamping forces from a hydraulic chuck eliminates tool pull-out, hence preventing scrapped jobs and damaged tools in these difficult machining conditions.

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Summary

Hydraulic chucks are the best option for HPC and HSC machining using high performance tooling (e.g. YG-1&#;s V7 Plus or Titanox milling cutters). High torque clamping means a very little chance of pull-out when machining at high speeds and feeds. High radial rigidity provides a superior runout accuracy and better tool life compared with other tool holding options.

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Instead of relying on a nut, collet or extreme temperature to clamp the body of a tool, hydraulic chucks use fluid. By compressing an internal membrane in the holder body, the hydraulic fluid applies uniform pressure around the cutting tool. This fundamental design feature brings us to the first asset hydraulic chucks bring to the table: concentricity. The evenly applied gripping provides more control and consistency than a collet or manual tightening of a nut.   

Concentricity

Concentricity is especially valuable in high-speed machining applications where depth of cut is relatively shallow. Preventing even one of a cutter&#;s teeth from taking more of a load will extend tool life and reduce costs. Standard hydraulic holders offer exceptional runout, while our Ultra Precision Type measures staggering runout accuracy of one micron at 4xD. It stands to reason that hydraulic holders were originally designed for high-performance drilling/reaming applications and lighter milling. 

Setup Flexibility

Aside from stellar cutting performance and precision, hydraulic chucks offer setup flexibility. When assembling a tool, one of the best principles to follow is to make every tooling assembly as short as possible. The shorter the tooling, the less room for error. It also makes for easier access to tricky pockets when advanced workholding or extra axes aren&#;t an option.   

Smaller Nose Diameter

Compared to more general-purpose holders, hydraulic chucks have a smaller nose diameter relative to the tools they hold. This is critical, as these holders allow a further reach into mold cavities or other tricky work envelopes with less interference and without using extensions that can sacrifice rigidity. These characteristics make hydraulic holders especially effective in delicate 5-axis machining, finishing especially. 

Our Super Slim Type, for example, features nose diameters as small as 14 mm (.551"). We&#;ve been able to design the hydraulic system with a very tight tolerancing of the bore, allowing for clamping down to three millimeters and spindle speeds up to 45,000 RPM. Meanwhile, the natural damping characteristics of the hydraulics are especially advantageous in these extreme scenarios as well.  

Coolant Delivery

There&#;s also the option to have coolant delivery directly to the cut with hydraulic holders. Ideal for smooth, stable finishing operations our Jet-through Type allows for conversion between jet-through and center-through delivery for an improved surface finish and tool life.  

Quick and Easy Setup  

Setups aren&#;t only flexible, they&#;re also quick and simple. A single hex key wrench is used to clamp or loosen the cutting tool, making it easy to swap cutting tools at the machine or offline without the need for any special equipment.  

Short- and Long-term Advantages

Ultimately, hydraulic chucks will cost you a little more. But as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for. Shrink-fit holders boast similar performance and cost less up front, but that doesn&#;t factor in the cost of heating/cooling equipment and time. ER collets or side lock end mills may remove a lot of material, but if any precision or consistency is required, hydraulic chucks are the better option. Plus, their simple handling and relatively low maintenance make life easy on machinists.  

If you have work that demands accuracy or are looking to give your 5-axis capabilities a boost, hydraulic chucks are definitely worth some consideration. Learn more about the different types of hydraulic chucks and explore our full offering of these impactful holders. 

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