Application-Specific Configurations

SPINDEL Master™ line of drives is very versatile and can accommodate a wide variety of applications. For some of these applications we have developed typical configurations which make it easier for our customers to specify the drive. These application areas include:

High Speed Grinding (ID, Face, Bore etc.)

OD, Surface and Optical Precision Grinding

High Speed Milling

Spindle Support Systems

Spindle Test Drives

Test Stands

Dynamometers

High Speed Grinding (ID, Face, Bore etc.)
There are several very important drive related issues in high speed grinding. Please note that for well-being of your expensive spindles, it does matter what kind of three phase symmetrical "sinusoidal" current and voltage flows through power wires. You can reduce your spindle re-building costs by applying high performance SPINDEL Master™ drives. Issues pertinent to High Speed Grinding include:

Low Spindle Vibration and Low Motor Losses - Tests with various high speed motors have shown that low motor current ripple and low harmonic content in motor current make motors run with less vibration and at lower temperature. That in turn results in longer bearing life and better parts which are both important contributors to grinding operations' bottom line.

To optimize your grinding process, we have developed a Fast Analog Load Signal with programmable sensitivity and very fast response. Its performance surpasses that of industry standard watts-transducers making it an excellent choice for adaptive grinding. We also provide a complete gap eliminator function for single spindle and for multiple spindle applications (individually programmable sensitivity for each spindle). You can shorten your machining cycle time and boost the grinder's productivity by using of SPINDEL Master™ drives' Fast Analog Load Signal. By better load control during dressing of your expensive grinding wheels, you can also improve the wheel life.

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Issues for All Grinding and Milling:
Advanced spindle and drive protection - A high frequency output filter and three fast current sensors are standard on every drive. This output configuration provides for a number of protection benefits, including longer life of stator winding insulation (dV/dt), lower overall electrical noise and 100% protection against output phase to phase and phase to ground short circuits. If your coolant leaks into spindle plug or stator winding shorts to ground, SPINDEL Master™ drive will let you know, gently and without failing. An advanced thermistor sensing circuit (PTC - needed for practically all European spindles) with dedicated power supply and advanced filtering is standard on every drive and ready to safeguard the stator winding temperature.

Control inputs and outputs are suited for practically any grinder's interface. If you specify SPINDEL Master™ drives, our long experience with installation on new and retrofitted machines and our experience with all kind of different high speed spindles can help you go smoothly through your engineering and start-up process.

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OD, Surface and Optical Precision Grinding
Grinding wheels often leaves marks and patterns on the machined surface in excess of what is tolerable by the user of parts. The use of SPINDEL Master™ drive can improve the machined surface and reduce or eliminate the need for secondary operations. These marks and patterns can have many causes, but are mainly a result of shaft's "play" within bearings. By providing a better balanced three phase sinusoidal currents, our drives can reduce motor torque pulsations which excite this tool chatter. For sensitive grinding of optical lenses, torque-smoothing techniques can improve the results even when air-bearing spindles are used.

Everything else the same (same spindle, tool, part, temperature etc.), even our standard drives are likely to show appreciable improvements. By the use of additional output filters further improvements are possible resulting in better and less expensive parts. In addition, these improvements also result in longer bearing and tool life.

See also: Issues for All Grinding and Milling

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High Speed Milling
The main drive related issues in High Speed Milling are material removal rate, surface finish, spindle bearing life and tool life. SPINDEL Master™ drive can greatly improve the material removal rate and spindle bearing life by providing the high speed spindle with well balanced three phase sinusoidal current with low ripple. Spindle motor losses will be lower, resulting in more output power and cooler, longer lasting bearings.

Tool chatter reduces material removal rate, leaves un-desirable marks on machined surfaces and reduces bearing and tool life. Tool chatter have many causes but, as related to the spindle drive, a better balanced three phase sinusoidal currents can reduce motor torque pulsations which excite this tool chatter. Successful chatter control can often decide whether a high speed milling operation is competitive or not.

Everything else the same (same spindle, tool, part, temperature etc.), even our standard drives are likely to show appreciable improvements. By the use of additional output filters further improvements are possible resulting in better and cheaper parts. In addition, these improvements also result in longer bearing and tool life.

See also: Issues for All Grinding and Milling

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Spindle Support Systems
A Spindle Support System is an integrated drive system for high speed motorized spindles which can include all the support needed for successful application of these demanding spindles. Typically there is a drive, chiller for refrigeration of cooling water, the oil-mist or oil-air lubricator and the associated protection and indication.

A Spindle Support System is the best choice for customers who are replacing their belt driven spindles with direct drive, motorized spindles. They use a small floor space so they can fit between machines without the need to move them and are a convenient "one stop" solution for spindle support.

Spindle Support Systems require only an AC line and ground connections as well as shop air source. All spindle support functions are provided including (typically) protection against loss of air pressure, low oil level in lubricator, too high coolant temperature and spindle stator over-temperature.

We can accommodate customer's preference for chiller and lubricator manufacturers. Units for multiple spindles are available as well.

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Spindle Test Drives
Spindle Test Drives are especially configured to be able to run a very wide variety of AC electric motors. They are typically used by manufacturers and re-builders of motorized spindle motors as well as by large users who in their spindle test labs have a need to run daily a variety of motors.

A typical 40 HP (30 KW) test stand can be used for any motor rated between 150 and 460 V, between 50 and 3200 Hz, and rated up to 40 HP (30 KW). That includes standard low speed European and US made motors, all the way to the highest speed ID grinding spindle motors. One can practically say it includes all AC motors up to 40 HP.

Low vibration and low motor temperature during tests as well as operator safety features and reliability make these Spindle Test Drives very popular. A guaranteed output short circuit protection means the drive will not fail every time the spindle stator winding is shorted or the lead accidentally touches ground.

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Test Stands
Test Stands are used to rotate the Unit Under Test at the particular speed for the purpose of testing its mechanical integrity and other functional properties. Applications include testing of aircraft fuel pumps, engine governors, models of helicopter rotors, turbo-generators, automotive parts and assemblies etc.

A typical Test Stand includes drive, custom motor and closed loop speed control. Usually the test requirements call for accurate speed control at particular RPM for a specified duration of time. In some tests the Unit Under Test is loaded while sometimes only a free spinning is required. For applications such as the testing of hydraulic motors, a smooth transition from motoring to generating is required (see Dynamometers).

Custom instrumentation and interface with data acquisition systems are available. We specialize in high speed applications from 10,000 RPM to 100,000 RPM.

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Dynamometers
Dynamometers are used to absorb the power of a rotating power source like combustion engine, electric motor or other. Typically, dynamometer would consist of a generator, drive and absorbed power regulator (or load regulator).

The shaft of a generator (which is usually of induction type) is coupled to a shaft of power source which is being loaded. The drive is regulating the absorbed power of a generator which typically means it is keeping the power constant at the pre-set value. The absorbed power is either sent back to the line or it is dissipated on a resistor bank as heat.

Custom instrumentation and interface with data acquisition systems are available. We specialize in high speed applications from 10,000 RPM to 100,000 RPM.

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