ISO 5608 tool holder code decoder
Type the code, read each of the nine positions and see the holder drawn at work, its insert at the entering angle of the style. Positions 2, 4 and 9 are the same as in ISO 1832: the holder carries the insert that shares its shape, clearance and size.
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Examples
Code not readable. The nine mandatory positions must be: 5 letters + 2 digits (shank height h1) + 2 digits (shank width b) + 1 letter (length l1) + 2 digits (insert size). For a cartridge: 5 letters + 2 digits (cutting edge height) + C and a type letter + a length letter or a dash (catalogues often leave it out) + 2 digits.
Point at a position or a line to see both; “Matching insert” lights up positions 2, 4 and 9.
Anatomy of the code
| Position | Meaning | PCLNR 2525 M12 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Method of holding the insert | P = hole clamping (lever lock) |
| 2 | Insert shape (ISO 1832) | C = 80° rhombic |
| 3 | Holder style: entering angle κr, shank, cutting direction | L = 95°, offset shank, side and end cutting |
| 4 | Insert normal clearance αn (ISO 1832) | N = 0° (negative insert) |
| 5 | Hand | R = right-hand |
| 6 | Shank height h1, mm | 25 |
| 7 | Shank width b, mm | 25 |
| 8 | Holder length l1 (letter) | M = 150 mm |
| 9 | Insert size: cutting edge length (ISO 1832) | 12 → CN·· 12··, e.g. CNMG 120408 |
| 10 | Special tolerance (optional) | — |
Position 1: clamping
| Code | ISO 5608 | Insert | In catalogues |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Top clamping, insert without hole | insert without hole | top clamp |
| M | Top and hole clamping, insert with hole | insert with hole | catalogues: multi lock, pin and clamp; Mitsubishi: double clamp |
| P | Hole clamping, insert with hole | insert with hole | catalogues: lever lock |
| S | Screw clamping through the hole | insert with hole | catalogues: screw-on |
Position 3: holder style
| Code | κr | Shank | Cutting | ISO 5610 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90° | straight shank | side cutting | 5610-2 | ISO gives 90°; Tungaloy prints 91° for style A. |
| B | 75° | straight shank | side cutting | 5610-3 | |
| C | 90° | straight shank | end cutting | — | one source |
| D | 45° | straight shank | side cutting | 5610-4 | also for round inserts (R) |
| E | 60° | straight shank | side cutting | — | |
| F | 90° | offset shank | end cutting | 5610-5 | ISO 5608:1995 and the BSI abstract of ISO 5610-5 give an offset shank and end cutting; the iso.org abstract says straight shank, side cutting. ISO gives 90°; Tungaloy and Sumitomo (DTFNR) print 91°. |
| G | 90° | offset shank | side cutting | 5610-6 | ISO gives 90°; several makers print 91° for style G with triangular inserts (Tungaloy, ISCAR, ZCC DTGNR, Pramet DTGN and STGC). |
| H | 107.5° | offset shank | side cutting | 5610-14 | ISO 5608:1995, ISO 5610-14 and YG-1 give 107.5°; Tungaloy’s 2023-24 index prints H at 100°. |
| J | 93° | offset shank | side cutting | 5610-7 | |
| K | 75° | offset shank | end cutting | 5610-8 | |
| L | 95° | offset shank | side and end cutting | 5610-9 | ISO 5608:1995: 95° on both cutting edges (side and end cutting); the ISO 5610-9 summary says end cutting. |
| M | 50° | straight shank | side cutting | — | one source |
| N | 63° | straight shank | side cutting | 5610-10 | ISO gives 63°; several catalogues (ISCAR, YG-1, ZCC) print 62.5°, which is (180° − 55°)/2 for a 55° insert centred in a neutral holder. |
| P | 117.5° | offset shank | side cutting | — | one source; Tungaloy, ZCC, Pramet and Kennametal use P for 62.5° instead of ISO’s 117.5°: check the catalogue. |
| R | 75° | offset shank | side cutting | 5610-11 | |
| S | 45° | offset shank | side cutting | 5610-12 | also for round inserts (R) |
| T | 60° | offset shank | side cutting | 5610-13 | |
| U | 93° | offset shank | end cutting | — | |
| V | 72.5° | shank type differs between sources | side cutting | 5610-15 | κr 72.5° is agreed; the shank is straight in the ISO 5608:1995 table but offset in ISO 5610-15. |
| W | 60° | offset shank | end cutting | — | |
| Y | 85° | offset shank | end cutting | — |
Insert shape (position 2), clearance (position 4) and insert size (position 9) are ISO 1832 codes; their tables are in the insert decoder. open in the insert decoder
Position 8: holder length l1
Position 10: qualified holders (optional)
| Q | Back and end qualified tool, ±0.08 mm |
| F | Front and end qualified tool, ±0.08 mm |
| B | Front, back and end qualified tool, ±0.08 mm |
Non-ISO letters seen in catalogues
| 1 · D | not in ISO 5608:1995; catalogues use it for a double or rigid clamp, a variant of top and hole clamping |
| 1 · E | not in ISO 5608:1995; HHTools uses it for a pin lock (Sumitomo lists a pin lock with an eccentric pin, but its letter could not be read) |
| 1 · A | not in ISO 5608:1995; Tungaloy uses it for a double clamp |
| 1 · T | not in ISO 5608:1995; YG-1 uses it for a hole clamp in one catalogue and a double clamp in another |
| 1 · N | not in ISO 5608:1995; Kennametal (inch catalogue) uses it for its Top Notch clamp |
| 3 · Q | not an ISO 5608 style letter: catalogues (Tungaloy, ISCAR, Kennametal) use Q for κr 107.5°, which ISO writes H; in ISO 5609-6 (boring bars) style Q is 107.5° with a reduced shank |
| 3 · X | special design (Mitsubishi, ISCAR); Tungaloy’s index uses X for 20°; not an ISO 5608 style letter |
| 3 · I | Tungaloy’s own letter (κr 76.5°); not in ISO 5608 |
Under review Styles C, M and P and the qualified-tool letters Q, F and B rest on one source (the ISO 5608:1995 text as adopted word for word in IS 14863:2000); the text of the 2012 edition could not be read. Awaiting final sign-off by Mustafa Mert Kayhan.
Notes
ISO 5608 fixes the order of the positions: the first nine appear in every code, position 10 only when needed. A maker’s supplementary code of up to three characters may follow after a dash; it must not use the position-10 letters.
Catalogues print the code with different spacing (PCLNR 2525M 12, DCLNR 2020-K12, C T G N R 32 25 M 16 Q); spaces, and a dash between the shank size and the length letter, carry no meaning. A dash before a maker’s suffix, or in place of the length letter on a cartridge, does. Some makers add non-ISO information after position 9: insert thickness (Mitsubishi, Sumitomo), clamping type (Korloy) or an optional clamp (YG-1).
The ANSI code in inch catalogues is a different system: it gives the lead angle ψ (κr = 90° − ψ), writes shanks in fractions of an inch, gives letters such as H and P other meanings and uses Q, which ISO 5608 does not define as a style. Do not mix the two.
ISO 5608 names the hands only: R right hand, L left hand, N either hand. ISO 5610 draws right-hand holders and says the left-hand holder is the same part laterally reversed. McMaster-Carr says right-hand holders move from right to left towards the chuck, and Sherline that a right-hand tool has its cutting edge on the left. The drawing follows this: with the rake face up and the shank pointing to the operator, the insert is at the left of the head; side-cutting styles feed to the left (towards the chuck), end-cutting styles along the shank towards the workpiece axis.
Sources (22)
- ISO 5608:2012, Turning and copying tool holders and cartridges for indexable inserts — Designation (ISO catalogue page; confirmed 2023)
- IS 14863:2000 (BIS), identical to ISO 5608:1995 — position tables, qualified tools, example CTGNR 3225 M16 Q
- IS 16637 (Part 7):2018 and (Part 2):2018 (BIS), identical to ISO 5610-7:2014 and ISO 5610-2:2014 — worked examples SDJCR 1010 E07, PTJNR 3225 P16, SVJBR 2020 K16, SCACR 1010 E06
- ISO 5610-2 to -15:2014, tool holders with rectangular shank, one style per part (ISO catalogue abstracts)
- Mitsubishi Materials, ISO codes key: turning tools for external machining
- Sumitomo Electric, Section C 25-26, external tool identification table
- Tungaloy, General Catalogue 2023-2024, C External toolholders, designation system
- ISCAR, ISOTURN inch catalogue 2022, toolholder identification system (pp. 6–7)
- YG-1, YE-IT24 indexable inserts, turning (holder designation key)
- AKKO Cutting Tools (Turkey), tool catalogue in Turkish, English and Russian — Turkish clamping names
- Kennametal, Turning Toolholders Master Catalog (inch/ANSI lead angles; converted here with κr = 90° − lead)
- ZCC-CT, Turning Holder catalogue 2022–2023 (DTGNR 91°, SDNCN and PDPNN 62°30′)
- Dormer Pramet catalogue, external turning tools (DTGN and STGC 91°, DDPNN 62.5°)
- KORLOY, Code System – External Toolholders (positions 10 and 11: clamping system, insert thickness)
- HHTools / Euro-Inserts, identification of ISO holders (E pin lock, O special clearance)
- YG-1, YE-IT20 indexable inserts (T = hole clamp; N 63°, SDNCN 62.5°)
- Mitsubishi Materials e-learning, tool holder identification code (P lever lock, negative insert, thickness symbol)
- BS ISO 5609-6:2012, boring bars, style Q (κr 107.5°, reduced shank), BSI abstract
- BS ISO 5610-5:2014, style F (offset shank, κr 90°, end cutting), BSI abstract
- McMaster-Carr, turning carbide insert holders (cut direction: right-hand holders move from right to left toward the chuck)
- Sherline, 55° RH and LH tool holders (a right-hand tool has its cutting edge on the left)
- Cromwell, Sandvik Coromant DCLNR 2020-K12 (“Top & Hole Clamp”, l1 125 mm)