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When Innovative Technologies Plus (IT+) (Menomonee Falls, WI) was getting started as part of the MGS Mfg. Group in January 2008, founders Michael Webb and Nicholas Quartuccio wanted to bring in the latest technology that would allow them to offer the highest-quality results for their demanding high-tech customers, in the leanest possible manner.

With customers in the energy, transportation, aerospace and tool and die industries, IT+ uses high-speed, high-accuracy machining centers and specialized cutting tools on graphite and some of the toughest material available, including 15/15 HS stainless steel, inconel and hardened steel. Protecting the spindles on its 18,000-rpm Hermle C30 U Dynamic and DMG V75 five-axis machining centers was a priority, as was extending the life of the expensive cutting tools it gets from many different suppliers.

To ensure high-accuracy from its machines and extend the life of its high-end cutting tools, IT+ elected to use tool holders and a power clamp shrink fit machine from Haimer USA. "We were buying high-precision, five-axis machines with nearly 20,000 rpm on the spindles," says Webb, IT+'s lead applications engineer. "We decided to go with a reputation for quality, because all of the tooling we have is high-precision tooling that we'd want to use with a shrink-fit system."

There were alternative shrink-fitting systems, notes Quartuccio, the sales and operations manager, but meshing these tool holders with the shrink fit machines "made perfect sense. We wanted to get something in here that would help the holders last longer," states Quartuccio. "The best solution, after evaluating all the options, was the speed and the ease of use, no matter what setting or size. It provides consistent heating and cooling and a wide range of capabilities from small to very large holders."

These shrink-fit systems use high frequency and high power to quickly heat the tool holder for quick tool removal and insertion. Using an intelligent coil, the system adapts to the chuck, distributes heat more evenly and only heats the collet area of the holder, which decreases the time it takes to cool down and is gentler on the tool.