If you’ve worked in the CNC machining industry for a while, and you’re tired of slow processing, frequent spindle failures, and the inability to perform jobs that require hard materials, you might be interested in a spindle upgrade. Fortunately, you’re not alone in your quest for new and more advanced spindles. Traditional spindles can be frustrating because they often lack the reliability needed in a CNC machine shop, especially a busy one. In response to the numerous CNC machine owners who have demanded more high-tech spindles, developers have been introducing increasingly more advanced spindles over the years. Some of the latest high-tech spindles are known as electrospindles, and here is an overview of the basics of these dynamic new tools that are often game changers for those in the CNC machining industry.
What Exactly is an Electrospindle?
An electrospindle is a high-tech version of traditional spindles with enhanced capabilities and massive improvements. Instead of requiring the use of a separate motor, electrospindles have motors integrated into the unit itself. This enables these technologically advanced spindles to operate at exceptionally high speeds. These high-tech spindles boast a more compact design that creates less noise and lower vibration. As a result, these new spindles are projected to last much longer and incur fewer failures.
Electrospindles create a tremendous amount of heat during their operation, and heat can damage the spindle. This is why, like traditional spindles, electrospindles must be properly cooled to prevent heat damage from occurring. Electrospindle cooling techniques are often simpler, faster, and more convenient than the methods used for conventional spindles. These techniques often include air and water cooling.
What Are the Benefits of Electrospindles?
There are numerous benefits of electrospindles, and here are just some of these exciting benefits:
- Increased productivity– Due to their ability to reach a speed of as high as 200,000 rpm, electrospindles enable CNC machinists to complete jobs in record times while preserving the spindle in the process. CNC machinists were forced to deal with many limitations in the past because traditional spindles’ maximum speed was approximately 12,000 – 24,000 rpm. This is why electrospindles are such an exciting invention for CNC machine shop owners and their machine operators.
- Greater earnings– If you have been wanting to improve your earnings potential, an electrospindle can definitely help you achieve this goal. By enabling you to easily process even the hardest materials, the electrospindle can help you increase the jobs that you accept. Furthermore, electrospindles can enable you to accept even more jobs with significantly higher earning potential due to their ability to perform more precise and complex functions.
- Fewer breakdowns– Everyone who has ever worked on a CNC machine is familiar with downtime due to spindle failure. It’s no secret that spindles are extremely fragile, which is why electrospindles were developed. With their enhanced speed and increased durability, electrospindles require significantly fewer repairs and rebuilds, enabling production to continue for longer periods.
- Versatility– Electrospindles enables machine operators to perform various applications, including grinding, milling, turning, and more. As a result, customizing any job is quick and easy, and you can create even the most intricate designs with these advanced spindles.
Attachments for Electrospindles
There are various attachments available for electrospindles that can further enhance their abilities. When investing in an electrospindle, you can expect it to include exciting attachments like super high-speed heads, automatic tool change (ATC) systems, aggregates, birotary heads, and boring units. These attachments will enable you to perform advanced functions with the spindle, including milling, grinding, and drilling. These functions will be performed with precision that you can depend on, thanks to the high-tech electrospindle.
What to Expect from Electrospindles
There is a lot to expect from an electrospindle, and more and more are being built with switched reluctance motors (SRM). A switched reluctance electric motor operates with the concept of reluctance torque. This type of motor is considered to be superior to previous types, as its design is straightforward yet powerful. No clutch is needed with a spindle with a switched reluctance motor, which minimizes the necessity for maintenance. You can also expect an electrospindle to perform efficiently without the necessity for windings or permanent magnets on the rotor.
Electrospindles are also designed to be more uniform, meaning that you won’t have to change machines to process different jobs. The spindle can conform to just about any machine, which can save you time, money, and stress. Furthermore, by opting for an electrospindle, you can expect improved customer satisfaction, which could result in an increase in customers overall.
Continued Spindle Advancements
The CNC machining industry is expected to continue to be in high demand. As a result, more advanced spindles are expected to be developed to promote greater precision, efficiency, and production. Spindles in the future are expected to come equipped with built-in cooling mechanisms and self-diagnostic and self-repair capabilities. While these advanced spindles are not yet available, electrospindles are, and they can offer significant improvement over traditional choices.
So, if you’re interested in seeking a spindle for a CNC machine that has advanced capabilities and that will allow you to complete jobs faster and with greater accuracy, you may want to research electrospindles. By opting for electrospindles, your production rate and earnings can be increased exponentially. While the upfront costs will easily exceed the cost of traditional spindles, with their ability to promote improved precision, accuracy, and enhanced speed, electrospindles will allow a quick return on your investment. Whether you choose an electrospindle or an intelligent electrospindle that has enhanced sensing abilities, you’re almost guaranteed to tremendously enjoy the functionality of your advanced spindles.