These vibrations are not only harmful to the spindle and the cutting tool, they impair process reliability and are transferred to the machining results. They create chatter marks that have to be removed by additional fine machining or handwork.

Due to the labor costs associated with benching work on molds, and the increase in global competition, it is crucial to minimize this handwork time. To reach the correct levels of process reliability and the final results demanded, the vibrations have to be reduced during the machining process. One way of doing this requires reduction of spindle speed, feedrate and cutting depth. This leads to smoother cutting, but also to a lower metal removal rate and therefore decreased productivity.

Assume that a machining center costs approximately $126 per hour to run (one-shift operation, 1,600 operating hours per year). With an increase of metal removal time of just 10 percent you save close to $13 per hour. That adds up to more than $20,000 per year—which is a lot of money.

Adding to the productivity is the fact that when spindles last longer, their replacement can be planned, preventing costly unplanned machine downtime. So, ultimately, a manufacturer can save more than $25,000 per year, per machine with a truly balanced system—not including savings that can be made by improved surface quality, higher accuracy of size and fewer machine breakdowns or downtimes.