There are 10 inherent benefits that a good shrink fit chuck can offer a mold shop:
1. Unsurpassed accuracy
A properly produced shrink fit chuck should be able to guarantee 0.00012″ (3 microns) maximum run-out at three times the cutting tool diameter. This accuracy is very repeatable from operator to operator.

2. Availability of slim profiles
Shrink fit chucks are available with three-degree draft angles and very slim profiles. They can also be modified to be straight walled if needed in order to prevent toolholder collision with the workpiece.

3. Gripping torque
A shrink fit chuck grips the cutting tool 360 degrees around the shank. This leads to a very high gripping torque that prevents the cutting tool from moving during roughing or finishing operations. This greatly aids in the reduction of scrapped parts.

4. Extended reach options
Shrink fit chucks can use shrink fit extensions that provide the user with many options with standard products. When machining deep cavities, one can place shrink fit extensions into standard shrink fit chucks, getting unsurpassed toolholder lengths with very little run-out.

5. Balance repeatability and balanceable options
Shrink fit chucks offer the best balance repeatability of any toolholding system on the market since there are no moving parts. In many cases, if a shop purchases a properly balanced shrink fit chuck with correct accessories (such as pull-studs) and uses good cutting tools without inherent unbalance (such as flats) then they can often have good balance characteristics for running at high speeds without doing an additional fine-tune balancing. Of course, if there is a need for additional balancing of the toolholder on a balancing machine after the assembly of the toolholder setup (toolholder plus cutting tool, plus pull-stud or coolant tube) then many shrink fit chucks on the market come with simple to use balanceable options already built into the chucks.

6. Reduction of toolchanging time/less toolholder accessory inventory
Nothing beats the tool change time of shrink fit chucks if the process is joined with a capable inductive shrink fit machine. Tool changes can be done in five to 10 seconds, and most importantly, consistently. This allows the toolholder assembly to be in the machine making chips more of the time, than out of the machine waiting to be changed. Also, a shop needs very little additional toolholder accessory inventory (i.e., collets, nuts, seal disks, etc.). This simplifies the process.

7. Cleanliness of setup
A shrink fit chuck typically is a sealed system by design. Therefore, the introduction of contaminants in the bore are minimized (such as graphite dust or chips). If contaminants are introduced to the bore of a toolholder, oftentimes run-out accuracy is compromised.

8. Coolant options
Shrink fit chucks often have clever methods to deliver coolant or air/oil mist down to the cutting edge of the cutting tool. This helps with the proper removal of chips and can also aid in providing better finishes. In addition, if a mold shop does high precision drilling, a shrink chuck makes an excellent holder for coolant through drills since no accessories or special collets are needed—the sealed design of the toolholder simply allows the coolant to flow through the cutting tool.

9. Consistency of setup
Shrink fit holders provide the best repeatability from toolholder setup to toolholder setup. This is especially beneficial for those shops running lights out. For example, all toolholder setup operators set the toolholders the same with shrink fit holders. There are no variables—such as over-tightening or under-tightening a collet nut or not cleaning out a chuck sufficiently. Also, as mentioned the balance characteristics are the most repeatable. This combination of consistency allows a shop to truly monitor their tool life and understand how many parts they can machine with each toolholder setup—again, this is truly an important part of getting to the point of lights out machining.

10. Availability of shrink chucks
Most of the major toolholder builders in the world now offer shrink fit chucks as a standard. Therefore, mold shops are not roped into proprietary high precision collets or press fit systems that sometimes are only available from one manufacturer.