VDI tool holder sizes and dimensions: the DIN 69880 shank, and the drive that decides whether a driven holder fits
VDI tool holders are named after the diameter of their cylindrical shank in millimetres: VDI16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 80. The shank and its serration are standardised in DIN 69880 (internationally ISO 10889), so for a static holder the size is all you need. For a driven (live) holder it is not. The drive coupling in the turret is not set by the shank standard, and the same VDI40 shank is built with several different drives. Order a driven VDI holder by size and drive.
Dimensions in mm to DIN 69880 / ISO 10889. The collar diameter is that of the round form. The shank carries a serration on one side; the turret clamps it with a toothed wedge that pulls the holder against the station face.
How to tell the size in ten seconds
Measure the shank with a caliper. 30.0 mm is VDI30, 40.0 mm is VDI40 — there are no in-between sizes. The size is also usually engraved on the holder body. What the caliper cannot tell you is the drive, and on a driven holder that is the part that goes wrong.
Why the size is not enough for a driven VDI holder
DIN 69880 defines the shank, the serration and the station face. It does not define how the turret drives the tool. Turret builders solved that differently, so a driven VDI holder is built for one drive family:
Drive
What it is
Where you find it
DIN 5480
Involute spline on the drive input
Sauter turrets
DIN 5482
Involute spline to the older DIN 5482 standard — looks similar to DIN 5480 on a photo, does not interchange with it
Sauter turrets
DIN 1809
Flat tenon drive: a key on the holder engages a slot in the turret drive
Duplomatic turrets
Builder-specific
A coupling designed by the turret or machine builder
Baruffaldi / TOEM turrets; VDI turrets from Haas, Okuma, Index-Traub and Mazak
A holder with the wrong drive will slide into the bore and clamp perfectly — and then not turn, or not engage at all. That is why the drive, not the shank, is the first thing Mongtec confirms on a VDI driven-tool enquiry. Turret by turret: Sauter, Duplomatic or Baruffaldi — which driven tool holder fits →
Two more things that differ between VDI turrets
Clamping. Most VDI turrets use the standard serration and wedge, and take any standard holder of the right size. Mazak's VDI40 turret uses a Mazak-specific clamping system: a standard VDI40 holder does not fit it, though holders are made to the Mazak interface. DMG MORI Trifix turrets accept standard VDI holders.
Disc or star turret. On a disc turret the stations point along the spindle axis, so a straight holder does axial work and a 90° holder does radial work. On a star turret the stations point at the part, so the roles swap: the straight holder works radially and the 90° holder axially. Star turrets that serve a main and a sub-spindle also need right- and left-hand versions.
Same machine model, different drive
The machine nameplate does not settle the drive. Examples from the machine pages on this site:
It is a VDI tool holder with a 30 mm cylindrical shank to DIN 69880 / ISO 10889. The number is the shank diameter in millimetres.
What is the shank length of a VDI30 or VDI40 tool holder?
The maximum shank length l1 is 55 mm for VDI30 and 63 mm for VDI40. VDI50 is 78 mm and VDI60 94 mm.
Are VDI tool holders interchangeable between brands?
Static holders of the same size generally are, because the shank and serration are standardised — except on turrets with builder-specific clamping such as Mazak's VDI40. Driven holders are interchangeable only when the drive coupling matches as well.
What is the difference between DIN 5480 and DIN 5482 drives?
Both are involute spline drives, to two different standards. They look alike but do not interchange. Both are used on Sauter VDI turrets, so the drive has to be confirmed from the turret, not from the size.
Is DIN 69880 the same as ISO 10889?
Yes, ISO 10889 is the international standard for the same VDI shank system. A holder made to either fits the same turret bore.
