Hydraulic or Shrink-Fit Holders?

Hydraulic and shrink-fit holders are both useful in low clearance, tight work envelopes found in moldmaking and multi-axis machining applications. If you’ve ever had difficulty deciding which holder type is best to complete your work, reading this article will help guide your choice.

Our product manager, Alan Miller, recently shared with the Fabricating & Metalworking magazine audience some contrast between hydraulic and shrink-fit holders that can help simplify the selection process. What makes these products so similar is their slim design and the fact that they share “a middle-of-the-road gripping strength: about half that of a milling chuck and about double that of collet chucks."

Alan breaks down the differences by looking at six key factors:

• Initial Investment
• Maintenance
• Training, handling and safety
• Setup
• Vibration
• Roughing and finishing

Although sometimes the choice just comes down to the manufacturing floor and variables that can’t be controlled, it’s important to understand what sets these products apart.

To access the full article titled "Six Factors in Selecting Hydraulic or Shrink-Fit Holders," please click here.