ATC Options?

[John S]

its not too bad at the low speed end but my spindle is a 24,000rpm water cooled job, my machine was built for aluminium really so it needs the speed. Looking at £1600-£2300 on Aliexpress :(

Then you are going to struggle as once you go bigger on diameter to take a QC taper the bearings needed won't hold up to 24K

If you can get away with just two tools, roughing and finishing then think about another 24K spindle mounted on another set of rails on the Z axis that can pneumatically push the second cutter down lower than the roughing cutter. Software then calls up the respective offsets and runs the second spindle.

You can get a completer second spindle and inverter for as low at £175 on Ebay.

[Davek0974]

Thanks John, thats a neat idea but my mill is very compact and not really enough space to mount two spindles.

I will consign the ATC idea to the bin - it was just a luxury really, very impressive but a luxury still, oh well...

[andy_con]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maxi-Torqu...MAAOxy7AxSLmU4

[Davek0974]

Thanks for the link, interesting kit but I need the spindle as well, it seems easy in the 0 to 6000 rpm range but i'm in the 6000-24000 rpm range and then things get ££££ really quickly.

[andy_con]

Thanks for the link, interesting kit but I need the spindle as well, it seems easy in the 0 to 6000 rpm range but i'm in the 6000-24000 rpm range and then things get ££££ really quickly.

but that's the point of that powered draw bar, fit whatever spindle motor you want. providing the actual spindle it belt drive that powered draw bar will work

[Davek0974]

Issues i see there...

Not sure a belt will work at 24,000rpm,
The spindles suitable for ATC use are all rated to 6000rpm only it seems, that means special bearings and balancing would be needed for that sort of speed.

[komatias]

Andy, That PDB has an impact wrench and a pneumatic actuator inside so is only suitable for screw in drawbars. For ATC at 24000, you need a totally different direct drive spindle such as those seen on Alibaba.
They should be balanced but I dare say that the tooling you get will not be.

[andy_con]

im well aware how that drawbar I posted operates, the original post said cheap so I was just posting a cheap option.