by Bernard Martin

If you’re in aerospace machining—or really any kind of high-performance metal cutting—you already know the battle: heat, chip control, tool wear, repeat. The hotter and harder the material, the more headaches you're dealing with. That’s exactly where Heimatec’s internal coolant live tools come into play.

Distributed in North America by Platinum Tooling, these tools are built with one job in mind—keeping things cool and consistent when you're cutting the tough stuff like titanium and Inconel.

So what’s the big deal with internal coolant?
Instead of relying on external coolant to hit the cutting zone (and hoping it gets there), Heimatec’s live tools send high-pressure coolant through the tool body and right to the cutting edge. That means better heat control, cleaner chips, and a serious boost in tool life. If you're chasing better finishes and tighter tolerances, this is a huge advantage—especially on longer cycle times or production runs.

Coolant-thru technology is often the answer for faster more productive cutting on many applications especially when drilling deep holes where chips and excess heat build-up.  Heimatec now offers high-pressure coolant-thru designs up to 1000psi on straight tools and 2000psi on 90-degree tools. High pressure internal coolant is also available on universal tools, multiple spindle tools, and speed increasers with up to 1:4 gear ratios at 24,000rpm.
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Built tough for real-world machining
These live tools aren't just about coolant—they're built to handle the abuse of daily production. They use high-precision ABEC 7 bearings, hardened and ground gears, and are balanced to run smoothly at high RPMs with minimal backlash. In short, they’re engineered for shops that run tight programs, day in and day out.

Save time with quick-change systems
If tool changes are killing your setup time, Heimatec has a few tricks up its sleeve. Their u-tec® system and HT Quick Change options let you swap tools fast without re-dialing everything in. You stay productive without sacrificing precision.

Works with the machines you're already running
​Whether you're running a DMG Mori, Okuma, Haas, Mazak—or something else entirely—Heimatec most likely has a live tool that drops right into your turret or BMT block. No special adapters. No headaches. Just solid compatibility.

Custom tools? Yeah, they do that too
Every job’s different. If you're doing deep hole drilling, unique milling paths, or have a funky part setup, Heimatec can build a tool specifically for your application. It’s not cookie-cutter—it’s whatever works best for how you machine.

If you're tired of pushing tools to the limit and watching your inserts burn up halfway through a cycle, Heimatec's internal coolant tools could be a real game-changer. Better cooling, stronger construction, faster setups—it’s all about giving your shop more uptime and fewer surprises.
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Want to dig deeper into specs or see if they’ve got a fit for your machine? Hit up Platinum Tooling. They know their stuff. Give us a call!

Cutting Tool Engineering visited Preben Hansen, President of Platinum Tooling Technologies Inc., at their IMTS 2022 booth.  Preban highlighted some of the features a variety of products from Heimatec, Tecnicrafts, Quick, Henninger and Rineck.

Take a look at the video and let us know if you have any questions. 

Here's a look at some of the new products and special offers from our manufacturers!  You'll want to check them out in-person at the show, on-line during the show or contact us and we can stop in and get into the details at your shop with one of our guys. 

BIG DAISHOWA designs, manufactures and markets premium high-precision tooling systems and solutions for the automotive, military, aerospace, energy, and micro-technology industries.  BIG DAISHOWA is the North American representative of Speroni tool measuring machines, Sphinx high performance drills, mptec measuring stands, Tekusa spindle cleaners and the UNILOCK zero-point workholding system

​Be sure and check out the two special offers:

Carmex Precision Tools specializes in carbide cutting tools for thread turning & thread milling. They will be showcasing a full line of tools for Swiss machines, including turning, back turning, grooving & parting.

Jergens Inc is a global manufacturing leader of CNC machining custom workholding products. Today, you'll find their vises, clamps & fixturing systems, tooling components, at work in just about every segment of the metalcutting industry.

Check out their innovative engineered solutions like the patented

• Ball Lock®️ Mounting System
• Fixture-Pro®️ 5-axis workholding which has changed the way manufacturers worldwide think about metalworking productivity
• Jergens Zero Point Mounting System allows you to fix, position and clamp in a single step.

Platinum Tooling has been hard at work searching to find the highest quality machine tool accessories in the market…and we think they’ve done it! Platinum Tooling will be showcasing the following products at IMTS:

• Heimatec – Swiss, Turning, & Machining Center Tools
• Tecnicrafts - Swiss Type Collets & Guide Bushings
• Henninger – Mechanical, Air, & Motor Speeders
• AMF - Cleaners & Markers
• Hommel + Keller – QUICK Knurling & Marking Tools

Techniks Tool Group (TTG), the parent company of Techniks and Parlec, is one of North America’s largest providers of best-in-class tooling solutions for CNC machining centers.  Check out the complete list of products they will be demonstrating at IMTS:

• Parlec Shrink Fit Holders – Made-in-USA shrink fit tooling that matches the gage lengths and nose diameters of popular international standards for plug-and-play simplicity
• Triton Hydraulic Chucks - Finally, a hydraulic chuck built for heavy material removal applications
• ERos (ER On-Size) Collet System – Extreme 3-micron accuracy from an easy-to-use collet-based system
• Made-in-USA Shrink Fit Machines - Fully automated operation makes incorporating shrink fit easy
• Parlec Micron Milling Chucks - The most accurate milling chucks on the market!
• M-Style Milling Chucks - Narrow nose clearances and long reaches in a milling chuck
• MicroFLOAT Tapping System - Extending tap life by 300%
• SFS12 Modular Shrink Fit System - Superior rigidity at extended lengths
• sPINner Deburring - Automating small parts deburring
• EEPM Electro-Permanent Workholding - Fast part changover, incredible holding power
• HVC Face Mill Holders - 6X the coolant delivery for enhanced chip evacuation and faster feed rates
• SlimFIT Collet System - Narrow nose clearances and extended reaches in an easy-to-use collet system
• DNA (Dead Nut Accurate) Collet System - Perfect for smaller diameter tools

Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc., the exclusive importer of Heimatec live tools, angle heads, and multi-spindle heads, is excited to announce their extended product offering to the current Citizen tool program. 

​In addition to the standard live and static tools, they will offer 1:4 speed increasers for the most current Citizen machine models.  Designed to optimize the machine’s parameters, these precision tools are efficient and cost effective.

Originally developed for the manufacture of precision parts in the watch industry, Swiss-type CNC Automatic Lathes are now widely used throughout the industry to produce automotive components, screws and pins for the medical industry, and precision parts for electrical engineering.

Platinum Tooling and Heimatec’s goal during the development of this line was to construct a series of tools that would offer the greatest possible processing quality and longest service life, while additionally enhancing the machine’s capabilities with the use of speed increasers.  To achieve this, Heimatec incorporates the highest quality bearings, ground gear components, spindles, and housings to produce superior tools with maximum rigidity.
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In addition to Citizen, Platinum Tooling is constantly striving to expand their tooling programs to include superior quality products to enhance machining operations, increase productivity, and create cost savings opportunities.

In a world where machine shops are struggling to stay open and maintain their business and in a day when “going into dad’s business” is not what it once was, Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc. is an exception to the rule. Located in Prospect Heights, Illinois, the company is set to reach an important milestone.

​In 2022, company President Preben Hansen and his family will celebrate 100 years working in metal cutting and four generations of Hansen men in the industry. How cool is that?

The story began with Preben’s grandfather, Louis Eckart Hansen, who learned his trade in Copenhagen, Denmark in the early 1900s. Louis worked as a machinist in the Danish Navy’s repair facility. Preben’s father, Svend Eckart Hansen, honed his skills under the guidance of Louis.

In 1958, Svend emigrated with his family, including young Preben, to the U.S. Despite not knowing English, he found employment within days of arriving in Chicago, because of his skill as a tool maker. Svend began his career as a machinist and ended it in the 1990s as a master tool maker at Ramcel Precision Stamping and Manufacturing LLC in Northbrook, Illinois.

With manufacturing and tooling in his DNA, Preben worked in the machine shop of the former Fulton Machine Company in downtown Chicago, while attending the University of Illinois/ Chicago and pursuing a degree in engineering. Following college, he worked in the shop at Oakley Industries building custom machinery.

​After several years in the shop, Preben moved to the front office and into an inside sales position. Later, at Jemco Tool & Die, he learned programming and set-up on their CNC lathes and machining centers which was his introduction to machine tools and their accessories. His next job was at HPI, now known as Pioneer Heartech Precision Inc., a distributor of tool holders and related products, in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Preben started as an Outside Sales representative of tool holders and rotary tables, then became the company’s Sales Manager. This was followed by work at Lyndex-Nikken, another machine tool accessory supplier in Mundelein, Illinois. Here, Preben was introduced to live tools and once again worked as Sales Manager.

​In 2010, Preben started a joint venture with heimatec GmbH, becoming the President of Heimatec, Inc., a company specializing in live tools, angle heads and multi-spindle drill heads. In 2018, Heimatec, Inc. was purchased by Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc. with headquarters located in Prospect Heights, Illinois. Preben Hansen is the COO and President at Platinum Tooling.

In total, Preben has over 30 years of experience in the machine tool accessory market and over 40 years in the manufacturing industry. Given his credentials, it’s no surprise that Preben has established himself as a leading authority on these topics in the North American machine tool accessory market. He often hosts knowledge bars at trade shows to SRO crowds.

In keeping with this family tradition, Preben’s son, Luke Hansen, joined his dad’s company in 2018 as a Technical Sales Specialist for several of the product lines sold by Platinum Tooling, including Tecnicrafts collets and guide bushings for Swiss machines. After graduating from high school, Luke joined the army in search of his calling and received great training there. Upon his discharge, he decided to put into practice the motivational and goal orientation skills he had learned in the military. In his current position at Platinum Tooling, Luke continues to expand his knowledge of the machine tool accessory market as well as build valuable relationships with the North American sales and distribution network of the company.
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Reflecting on 100 years as a family in the manufacturing industry, Preben Hansen says, “The machine tool industry has been and continues to be an extremely vital part of our country’s continued success. My son Luke and I are proud to be 3rd and 4th generation professionals involved in this exciting industry.”

Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc. in Prospect Heights, IL, serves its growing North American customer base with an extensive inventory of machine tool accessories. Its experienced staff is dedicated to providing the most innovative tooling and technology. Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc. serves the auto, aero, medical, woodworking, composites and other industries, as well as an ever-increasing number of machine tool OEMs worldwide, through its network of manufacturers’ representatives. Platinum Tooling is the importer of Heimatec, Henninger, Tecnicrafts and AMF Tooling for North America

We hope you can join Platinum Tooling for a FREE online Webinar hosted by GIE Media, Inc., this Thursday, June 17th at 9am to 9:30 am (Pacific time).

During this Manufacturing event, Preben Hansen, President of Platinum Tooling and longtime leading expert in the machine tool accessory market, will detail recent advancements in live tooling, angle heads and speed increasers.

In 2010, Preben started a partnership with Heimatec GmbH to be the exclusive importer of Heimatec products in North America. From there he grew his business and in 2018, bought out heimatec and formed his new company, Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc (PTTI). PTTI became the importer for North America of heimatec products, along with several other machine tool accessory lines, including Henninger, Tecnicrafts, and AMF.
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It’s easy to sign up…simply click the link below to register:

Standard and custom styles available for Hyundai, Miyano and Nakamura machine tools; offered for all tapers, including HSK and BT30; fixed and adjustable models; many in stock for immediate delivery.

By Industrial Machinery Digest. March 16, 2021

Heimatec, a world leader in live tools and multi-spindle drill heads, today announces immediate availability of live tooling for all popular models in the Hyundai, Miyano and Nakamura turning center lines. 

​According to master North American importer for Heimatec, Preben Hansen, Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc. President, “We’re carrying a substantial inventory of live tools for our customers’ machines now and it represents a substantial financial and warehouse space commitment we’ve made to support them in the North American market.”

Hansen added that the company will be announcing its in-stock arrangement for many other lines of machine tools, moving forward, as the company commits a major investment to the market. 

Platinum Tooling Technologies, Inc. serves its North American customers with a full team of manufacturers’ rep firms, plus its Chicagoland facility offers stocking, repair, application engineering and service for the company’s line of live tools, multi-spindle tool, adapters, UTEC® right angle heads and other items offered.

Literature detailing all the Heimatec products now available in stock for Hyundai, Miyano and Nakamura machining centers is offered at the company’s website, www.platinumtooling.com.   Interested parties may also contact the company directly with inquiries.

Heimatec offers a full one-year warranty on all parts and labor for its tooling.