Horsepower refers to the amount of work being done. Torque will help put power behind the cutting action of the tool. It is important to have high torque capabilities when using an end mill larger than ½ inch, or when machining a difficult material such as Inconel.
Torque is defined as force perpendicular to the axis of rotation across a distance. The proper selection will depend largely on your application requirements. The HSK holder is utilized to create repeatability and longer tool life – particularly in High Efficiency Milling (HEM) applications.Īll of these holders have benefits and limitations including price, accuracy, and availability. It also engages the spindle in a different way and does not require a pull stud or retention knob. This type of holder is a German standard known as “hollow shank taper.” The tapered portion of the holder is much shorter than its counterparts. The BT (metric style) is popular overseas. Referred to as “V-flange holders,” both of these styles need a retention knob or pull stud to be secured within the machine spindle. This is the most widely utilized holder for milling in the United States. Every spindle is designed to mate with a certain taper style and size. The taper is the conical portion of the tool holder that fits inside of the opening of the spindle.
Spindles typically vary by the type, style of the taper, or its size. Types of CNC SpindlesĪfter finding out what you should look for in a spindle, it is time to learn about your different options. A good rule of thumb is that an end mill that is a half inch or smaller will run well with lower torque. Faster speeds and feeds deliver better surface finishes and are used in a variety of applications. These applications require supreme machine rigidity and require a spindle with high torque.Ĭontrastingly, smaller diameter tools will need a higher-speed spindle. Large diameter tools such as large end mills or face mills typically require slower spindle speeds and take deeper cuts to remove vast amounts of material. As tooling options continue to grow, it is important to know what tooling your spindle can utilize. Why is Choosing the Right Spindle Important?Ĭhoosing the right spindle to machine your workpiece with is of very high importance to a successful production run. Often powered by electricity, spindles rotate on an axis which receives its input from the machine’s CNC controller. It is true that tooling can often make a big difference in machining time, and speeds and feeds, but did you know that your machine’s spindle can have an equally impactful effect? The legs of any CNC machine, spindles are comprised of a motor, a taper for holding tools, and a shaft that will hold all of the components together.
When trying to develop efficient processes, many machinists and programmers turn to tool selection first.