BT40 Spindle Tension Meter - Hydraulic Pull Force Gauge 0-160 kg/cm2 - CNC Spindle Drawbar Tension Test
BT40 hydraulic spindle tension meter for checking CNC spindle drawbar pull force. Measuring range 0-160 kg/cm2, reference tension 500-1000 kgf, 68 mm dial, 235 mm overall. 30 working days.
BT40 spindle tension meter - 0-160 kg/cm² range
A hydraulic spindle tension meter for measuring the clamping force a CNC spindle applies to the toolholder drawbar. It screws into the spindle in place of a tool, the drawbar is engaged, and the tension is read off the dial under load. It is the quickest way to find out whether a spindle is still holding its full pull force, and to compare one machine with another.
Readings are in kg/cm² on the outer scale, with a second red scale in MPa for the same pressure. The supplier publishes two figures for this size: a measuring range of 0-160 kg/cm² and a reference tension of 500-1000 kgf.
Specification
| Type | Spindle tension meter (hydraulic pull-force gauge) |
|---|---|
| Spindle taper | BT40 |
| Measuring range | 0-160 kg/cm² (supplier stated) |
| Reference tension range | 500-1000 kgf (supplier stated) |
| Material | 20CrMnTi |
| Shank tolerance grade | ≤ AT3 (supplier's wording: "hammer handle tolerance grade") |
| Dial diameter | 68 mm |
| Body diameter | 70 mm |
| Overall length | 235 mm |
| Certification | CE |
| Origin | Mainland China |
| Lead time | 30 working days |
How to use it
Fit the gauge into the spindle taper in place of a toolholder, engage the drawbar, and apply steady downward force on the body until the reading stabilises. Compare the reading against the reference tension for your spindle size. A spindle that reads well below its reference figure has lost pull force - typically from worn drawbar bearings, a loose drawbar nut or a damaged taper - and that is a fault worth finding before it pulls a cutter out of the holder.
Take the reading on a machine that has been warmed up and is at normal temperature, with the spindle stationary. A cold spindle and a hot spindle do not give the same reading, so compare like with like.
Choosing the right size
The size is the spindle taper the gauge is made to fit, so a BT30 gauge will not enter a BT40 spindle and a BT40 will not enter a BT50. The taper size is stamped on the spindle nose and on the toolholder shank - check it before ordering. The three sizes also differ in the range they cover, and therefore in the dial fitted: BT30 covers 0-60 kg/cm², BT40 covers 0-160 kg/cm² and BT50 covers 0-350 kg/cm².
The supplier uses one dial photograph for all three sizes. The dial pictured reads 0-160 kg/cm² on the outer scale with 0-16 MPa on the inner red scale, and is marked EN 837-1, class CL 1.5. That photograph shows the dial of the middle size, not this one - the gauge supplied with this listing is scaled to 0-160 kg/cm ², so the dial you receive reads differently from the picture.
About the stated figures
The ranges, material and tolerance grade above are the supplier's own published figures for this item. They come from the supplier's specification table, not from a calibration certificate - no certificate is published with the gauge and none is included. Treat the ranges as the supplier's claim.
It is also worth knowing that the same BT taper sizes are quoted with different measuring ranges by different manufacturers - a BT50 tension gauge from another maker, for example, is commonly quoted at 0-650 kg/cm² rather than 0-350 kg/cm². Check the range against the pull force your own spindle is supposed to develop before ordering.
Condition
New and unused. The supplier notes that different production batches may vary slightly; the gauge you receive is the size and range ordered.
Photographs
The first image is the supplier's own graphic for the BT40 size, showing the gauge with its key dimensions. The second image is the supplier's specification table for this size, reproduced so you can see the range and tolerance figures quoted. Both are supplier graphics rather than photographs of an individual unit, and the dial photograph is shared across all three sizes - the size supplied is the size ordered.
Delivery
Allow 30 working days for delivery to UK addresses. The gauge is sourced from the supplier overseas and that estimate covers supplier dispatch and UK delivery.
Not sure which size you need?
Send us the taper size stamped on your spindle nose or on an existing toolholder shank, along with the machine model, and we will tell you which of the three to order.
