Shank Tolerances, Collet Fits, & h6 Benefits

A cutting tool’s shank is one of the more vital parts of a tool, as it’s critical to the collet-tool connection. There are several types of shanks, each with their own tolerances and suitable tool holder methods. One of the most popular and effective tool holding styles is a shrink fit tool holder, which works with h6 shanks, but what does this mean and what are the benefits of it? How is this type of shank different from a shank with standard shank tolerances? To answer these questions, we must first explore the principals of tolerances.

The Principals of Tolerances

Defining Industry Standard Tolerances

There are two categories of shank tolerances that machinists and engineers operating a CNC machine should be familiar with: hole basis and shank (or shaft) basis. The hole basis system is where the minimum hole size is the starting point of the tolerance. If the hole tolerance starts with a capital “H,” then the hole has a positive tolerance with no negative tolerance. The shank basis system is where the maximum shank size is the starting point. This system is relatively the same idea as the hole basis system but instead, if the tolerance starts with a lowercase “h,” the shank has a negative tolerance and no positive tolerance.

Letter Designations

The limits of tolerance for a shank or hole are designated by the appropriate letter indicating the deviation. For instance, the letter “k” has the opposite minimum and maximum designations as “h”. Tolerances beginning with “k” are exclusively positive, while tolerances beginning with “h” are exclusively negative. The number following the given letter denotes the International Tolerance (IT) grade. For example, a tolerance with the number 6 will have a smaller tolerance range than the number 7, but larger than the number 5. This range is based on the size of the shank. A hole that has a 0.030” diameter will have an h6 tolerance of (+0.0000,-0.0002), while a 1.00” hole with have an h6 tolerance band of (+0.0000,-0.0005).

It is important to note that most sources list IT tolerances in millimeters, while the graph below has been translated to inches. Operations that require more precise manufacturing, such as reaming, will have lower IT grades. Operations that do not require manufacturing to be as precise will have higher IT grades.

Preferred Collet Fits

Different types of combinations of hole basis and shank basis tolerances lead to different types of collet fits. The following table offers insight into a few different types of preferred fits and the shank tolerances that are required for each.

Shrink Fit Tool Holders

The shrink fit holder is one of the more popular styles of tool holders because of its ability to be more customizable, as evident in the chart above. In this method, a collet is heated to expand, then cooled to contract around the shank of a tool. At room temperature, a cutting tool should not be able to be inserted into a shrink fit holder – only when the holder has undergone thermal expansion due to the introduction of a significant amount of heat should the tool fit. As the holder cools, the tool is held tighter and tighter in place. Typically, a holder is heated through a ring of coils by an induction heater. It is important to heat the holder uniformly, paying mind to not overheat it. Doing so could cause the shank that is being held to expand within the holder and remain stuck.

Benefits of Shrink Fit Tool Holders

1. Gripping power. The shank is held flush and uniform against the holder, resulting in a tighter connection.
2. Low runout. A more secure connection will result in extended tool life, and a higher quality surface finish.
3. Better balance for high RPM. With a tighter tool-to-holder connection, the opportunity exists for more aggressive running parameters.

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Shank Tolerances Summarized

Understanding shank tolerances is an intricate part of the machining process as it impacts which tool holder is appropriate for your job. A secure holder connection is vital to the performance of the tool in your application. With an h6 shrink fit holder, the result is a secure connection with stronger gripping power. However, only certain shanks are able to be used with this type of holder. From the letter designation assigned to a shank, to whether that letter is upper or lowercase, each detail is vital to ensuring a proper fit between your tools shank and its corresponding shrink fit holder.

Robert Keever( Product Development Engineer )

As a member of Harvey Performance Company’s New Product Development team, Robert strategized new products to introduce with each new catalog released by Harvey Performance Company’s collection of brands.