Gear shop modernizes with shrink-fit technology

Boulevard Machine & Gear, a gear-cutting shop founded in 1954 to serve the paper industry in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, began a period of modernization and investment with the 2006 acquisition of the company by Susan Kasa.

Kasa’s focus was to grow the company and become more efficient. One issue of concern dealt with completing certain machining jobs with conventional side-lock and collet holders. To solve this problem, the company invested in a Haimer Power Clamp Special Edition shrink fit machine, Haimer Standard Shrink chucks, Haimer Power Shrink chucks and extensions.

Haimer develops inductive shrink fit technology for tool holders. The company says that the tool holder’s high gripping torque and clamping 360 degrees around the cutting tool, shrink fit technology provides superior gripping torque, allows for excellent runout accuracy, balance repeatability and consistent clamping.

Boulevard Machine now has a wide assortment of CAT40 and HSK-63 holders in both Power and Standard shrink and all of the extensions. Since switching to the heat shrink holders, Boulevard Machine noticed they were able to pick up their feeds and speeds as well. Boulevard Machine was able to cut 750 inches per minute with the ¾-inch Haimer Ultra Short Power Shrink HSK-63 holder. Before Haimer, the company was only able to cut 300 ipm in the same material. 

Boulevard Machine & Gear now finds themselves doing as many five-axis jobs as they do three or four axis jobs, whether its three plus two or simultaneously five. The Haimer Power Mini shrink fit holders and shrink fit extensions helped get to all the hard-to-reach areas without any concern. "We've had extensions stacked into Haimer basic holders with more than 10 inches of projection with as little as two tenths runout," according to a company representative. "Without these holders, we would not be able to machine a large amount of the jobs through the shop."

For Boulevard Machine, investing in Haimer technology was part of a modernization plan instituted by company owner Kasa. When she acquired the company, she planned to reinvest up to 30% of its yearly revenue back into capital equipment. The focus and reasoning for this was to innovate for the current workforce and for the next generation of machinists joining the team. “We work closely with our programmers and engineers to make sure that what we are implementing and using is making their jobs as easy and efficient as possible,” said Kasa. “With having the Haimer technology and staying up-to-date with everything else, our team is no longer hesitant about quoting or taking jobs and they have the confidence to do any task because of the sophisticated technology.”

For more information on Haimer and its products, phone 630-833-1500 or email haimer@haimer-usa.com. 

For more information on Boulevard Machine, phone 413-788-6466 or visit https://boulevardmachine.com.