Scrap Rate Drops from 50% to 1.5% with
BIG Daishowa Mega Micro Chuck

MORGAN HILL, CA—The scrap rate for a precision drilling operation in PVC plastic dropped from 50% to 1.5% after a Silicon Valley machine shop started using a BIG Daishowa Mega Micro Chuck from BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling.

BIG Mega Micro Chuck, standard with the BIG-PLUS dual contact spindle system.

Sea-Tek, a high quality CNC machine shop in California’s Silicon Valley, was experiencing a 50% scrap rate because of difficulty controlling runout drilling a .047” DIA hole that is 2.170” deep (a length to diameter ratio of 46:1). The drill used in this application is a 6” overall length HSS tool. Sea-Tek is machining a medical product part called a sample housing in which the 2.170” hole accommodates a syringe.

“We use 47 different tools during one hour of previous machining work on this part. When our hole is drilled, it is one of the last operations performed. Hence, we cannot tolerate a wandering hole. If it wanders, the syringe would miss the mating port hole,” explains Brian Bradshaw, Sea-Tek Owner/Partner.

Bradshaw presented the challenge of improving the manufacturing process to Alex Mosson, Outside Sales Representative with Western Tool & Supply, Santa Clara, CA. Mosson recommended the BIG Mega Micro Chuck for greater accuracy and repeatability, based on previous application experiences at other area machine shops.

The cycle time for the operation on Sea-Tek’s Fadal CNC Mill stayed the same after the BIG Mega Micro Chuck was introduced, but the company saved considerable time by virtually eliminating scrap. It takes an hour to complete machining operations on each part. Sea-Tek makes 8-10 parts daily and was losing half of production to scrap. With the BIG Mega Micro Chuck, the scrap rate dropped from 50% to 1.5%.

Simultaneous fit system surpasses all other spindle concepts while offering interchangeability with existing machines and tool holders.

Each Mega Chuck comes standard with the BIG- PLUS dual contact spindle system to assure the highest rigidity possible in high speed and high metal removal machining operations. BIG-PLUS allows interchangeability with existing toolholders and machine spindles.

“The Mega Chuck Series offers the industry’s highest levels of rigidity, gripping force and runout accuracy to help users achieve better surface finishes, superior precision, and extend tool life,” says David Frank, BIG Kaiser Sales Representative with Next Generation Tooling, Santa Rosa, CA. The shallow taper angle of the collet provides high rigidity combined with “just fit” sizes for perfect runout accuracy and high gripping forces.

AA Class Mega Micro Collet provides a guaranteed run-out accuracy of 1 micron or less.

The Mega Micro Chuck is ideal for high speed applications in very hard to reach areas with small diameter cutting tools. It has three collet series that cover a range of .018” to .238”, with collets available in steps of .004” to guarantee run-out accuracy of .00004” at collet face. Sea-Tek uses the BCV40-Mega3S-2.5T with the NBC3S collet and MGR10 wrench.

BIG Kaiser offers a large variety of collet chuck lengths to optimize tool projection based on application needs. Straight shank types for combination assembly with nonstandard tapers or length requirements are also available.