Sauter, Duplomatic or Baruffaldi turret? Which driven tool holder fits

Most CNC lathe builders do not make their own turret. Many lathes run a turret from Sauter in Germany or from Duplomatic or Baruffaldi in Italy. For a static holder, the VDI or BMT size is enough. For a driven holder it is not, because each turret maker builds its own drive: the same VDI40 shank comes with a DIN 5480 or DIN 5482 spline, a DIN 1809 tenon, or a builder-specific coupling. Knowing which turret is on the machine is the fastest way to the right holder.

The three turret makers and their drives

Why the same VDI40 holder does not fit all three

DIN 69880 standardises the shank, the serration and the station face. It does not standardise the drive. A driven VDI40 holder built for a Sauter turret has a splined drive input; one built for a Duplomatic turret has a flat tenon; one built for a Baruffaldi turret has Baruffaldi's coupling. All three slide into the same VDI40 bore and clamp. Only the right one turns.

DIN 5480 or DIN 5482 on a Sauter turret

Both are involute splines. DIN 5482 is the older standard and DIN 5480 the current one, and both are found on Sauter turrets in the field. On a photo they look alike, but the splines do not interchange. Check the turret, not the age of the machine: the turret nameplate or the machine documentation names the drive, and a clear photo of the drive socket in an empty station settles it.

BMT turrets from the same makers

Duplomatic and Baruffaldi also build BMT turrets. BMT is a de facto standard, not an ISO or DIN norm, so bolt spacing, centring spigot and drive can differ from one turret maker to another even at the same nominal size. See BMT turret dimensions for the bolt patterns.

How to tell which turret you have

1. Look for the nameplate on the turret housing — the turret maker is usually named there, separately from the machine builder.
2. Check the machine specification sheet or manual for the turret make and the drive standard.
3. Take a photo of the drive inside one empty station. Spline, tenon or a special coupling is visible at a glance.
4. Note the VDI or BMT size and the number of stations.

Machines on this site with a documented drive

These machine pages list the drive for the VDI turret. The same model can be built with different turrets, so the drive is still confirmed per machine:

• Hurco TMM 8i — VDI30, DIN 1809
• Hurco TMM 10i — VDI40, DIN 1809
• Hurco TMM 12i — VDI50, DIN 1809
• Hardinge GS 200 / 350 MSY — VDI, DIN 1809
• EMCO ET 345 II — DIN 1809
• Gildemeister CTX 450 / 510 ECOLINE — VDI, DIN 5480
• Victor VTurn II-23 / 26CV — listed with DIN 1809 and with DIN 5480

Find your model in the machine index.

FAQ

Does a VDI driven holder for a Sauter turret fit a Duplomatic turret?

No. The VDI shank is the same, but the drive is not: Sauter turrets use an involute spline to DIN 5480 or DIN 5482, Duplomatic VDI turrets use a flat tenon to DIN 1809.

My turret has no readable nameplate. How do I find the drive?

Take a clear photo of the drive inside an empty station and send it with the machine model and the VDI or BMT size. The drive type is visible on the photo.

What is DIN 1809?

DIN 1809 defines a flat tenon drive. On Duplomatic VDI turrets it is combined with the DIN 69880 shank, so the holder has a flat tang that engages a slot in the turret drive.

Are DIN 5480 and DIN 5482 splines interchangeable?

No. Both are involute splines but to different standards. They look similar on a photo and do not interchange.

More guides

• VDI tool holder sizes and dimensions (DIN 69880) and drive couplings
• BMT or VDI? How to tell which turret you actually have
• BMT turret dimensions: BMT45 to BMT85 bolt spacing
• Axial or radial? Choosing the driven tool holder orientation