Collet

A collet is a clamping means to clamp workpieces or tools with high accuracy fast and strong. Collets can be found on machine tools, but also hand-operated devices, such as on some awl (eg the awl of a translator, which is exposed to great wear and must be replaced more often). Also hand-operated cutters, small drills, gravers can be fixed with a chuck in a handle.

It consists of a radially outwardly tapered split sleeve having a round, square or hexagonal sometimes bore defined size.

To a collet a collet holder part with a matching internal taper to collet. Is tensioned by tightening a nut with which the collet is pushed into the inner cone of the collet holder. On some machines, collets with Morse taper be clamped directly in the spindle sleeve. Through the slit of the chuck bore is uniformly compressed in their interior, whereby the workpiece or the tool is held non-positively. The clamping range of a collet chuck is extremely low, thus collets must be maintained with appropriate dimensions for different diameter. 6 mm is a common diameter for small tools. Commercially, there are sizes for 0.2 up to 34 mm. The collet holder is so made that it can accommodate the different sizes of collets. The collet holder is either permanently integrated into the work spindle of the machine or is included as a tool in the tool holder.

Collets clamp bare or machined parts quickly, firmly and accurately centered. They are suitable for high speeds. Sealing collet allow coolant to the tool.

Easiest permanently mounted collets usually made ​​of brass with 4 slots can be found on hand - drills - span a four -edged drill - and screwdriver handle for interchangeable blades with 2 pushed-out webs. Miniaturbohr or grinding machines have removable, external conical collets for different drill shank diameter to about 3.2 mm.

Also common is the use of brass collets for knobs of potentiometers and rotary switches.

• Clamping means