MODEL SELECTION · UPDATED OCTOBER 3, 2026

How to Choose an HQD Spindle

Begin with the machine and the work it needs to do. A power figure narrows the catalog, but it cannot tell you whether the spindle will fit or run correctly.

At a glance

Keep the full code and physical configuration.
Match tooling and operating speed before comparing power.
Check the complete mount, drive and cooling installation.

Compare the examples below, then check the drawing for the exact model and mounting arrangement you need.

Selection step	What to bring
Identity	Full code, nameplate, mounting arrangement
Operating point	Tooling, required speed and documented duty
Installation	Dimensions, drive output and cooling connections

Start from a known model or a machine requirement.

For a replacement, collect the full nameplate, the mounting drawing and photographs of the nose and connections. Keep suffixes and physical versions: GDF46-18Z/2.2 appears in both base-mount and housing-mount forms. A code search should lead to a configuration check, not an assumption that every matching name is interchangeable.

For a new installation, state the work material, tool shanks, required speed range, available space and drive. Motor power alone does not determine cutting performance. Tooling, machine stiffness and operating conditions also affect the result.

Decide how the machine holds and changes tools.

Manual ER-collet spindles and ATC taper spindles require different supporting hardware. GDZ-23 uses ER20 with manual tool changes. GDL80-20-24Z/2.2B uses ISO20 automatic tool change, with pneumatic and sensing requirements that the machine must support.

An ER number identifies a collet interface; check the supported tool-shank sizes and the exact nose thread before choosing collets or nuts. ISO20, ISO25, ISO30, BT30 and BT40 should each be checked against the supplied holders and release arrangement.

Read power, speed and frequency together.

GDF46-18Z/2.2 is rated at 18,000 rpm and 300 Hz. GDZ-23 is rated at 24,000 rpm and 400 Hz. They share a 2.2 kW rated output but describe different operating points. Check the intended work speed and the drive settings before treating them as alternatives.

Some models have a range or a separate maximum. The air-cooled GDL40.5 has an 18,000 rpm rated point and a 24,000 rpm maximum. GDK range models also carry power curves; the higher number in a model code is not automatically continuous rated output.

Check the complete installation before narrowing the order.

Compare body diameter, usable clamping length, mounting holes, nose projection and rear hardware. Leave room for connectors and hoses. Air cooling needs a clear airflow path; water cooling needs a suitable circuit and the correct fittings.

Select the documented winding and keep its voltage/current pair intact. Confirm VFD output rather than substituting the building supply voltage. Send unresolved dimensions or electrical details in the inquiry instead of filling gaps from a neighboring model.

Exact printed code and physical configuration
Toolholder or collet requirements
Required operating speed and documented duty
Mounting envelope, drive and cooling details
Quantity, destination and remaining questions

Questions before you choose.

Should I choose by the highest power number?

Choose by the documented rating and duty at the required speed, then verify tooling and installation. A larger number does not establish a usable machine match.

What if I do not know the existing model?

Send a readable nameplate photograph, mounting measurements, tooling details and drive information. Describe the unknowns explicitly.

RELATED SPINDLES

Configurations discussed in this guide.

Continue the installation check.

HQD GDL, GDF, GDZ and GDK Compared A Checklist for Replacing a CNC Spindle Prepare an Inquiry