While the 1.5kW Sienci Labs Spindle Kit offers a full plug-and-play experience with your machine from a single source, there is an overwhelmingly large variety of spindle options one can choose from . Some of these options may be pre-assembled plug-and-play kits with their own support such as kits offered by PWNCNC, and others may be standalone parts that will require you to purchase individual parts and wire up the system yourself. It should be noted that support for setup of 3rd party spindle kits offered from Sienci Labs is limited.
When sourcing your own spindle, there are a few key variations which you should consider:
Spindle Size
- 1.5 kW, and 2.2 kW spindles will typically exist in an 80mm diameter which will fit your AltMill out-of-the-box
- 3 kW, 3.5 kW, and 4+ kW spindles will typically exist as 100mm diameter, or will be of a ‘square’ profile which will require a custom mounting solution
- The AltMill can comfortably utilize much more powerful spindles in the range of 4kW+, as well as support the extra weight of such units on the Z-axis.
Cooling Method
- Air cooled spindles (like the Sienci Labs Spindle Kit) utilize a centrifugal fan to pull air through the body of the spindle to keep things cool. Due to the fan type, these tend to be much quieter than the axial fans used in trim routers. Air cooling provides adequate cooling in almost all scenarios, but can be a concern if you are consistently using your spindle at its minimum RPMs (7500 RPM for the Sienci Labs Spindle), and operating in a very hot environment.
- Water cooled spindles utilize a supply of water flowing through channels inside the spindle body to cool the spindle. The setup for this is a bit more involved, and requires water lines to be run through the drag chains of your machine, going to a water pump and water reservoir under or near your machine. Another key consideration is that a water cooled spindle should never be run without water actively flowing through it, as this will damage the spindle.
Auto Tool Change (ATC) Capability
- ATC spindles allow for the machine to automatically swap out cutting tools during a job. This requires perfectly coordinated movements between the ATC spindle mechanism, and movements of the AltMill in X, Y, Z to function correctly.
- This is a very complicated, expensive system requiring things such as pneumatic solenoids, individual tool holders, a tool holder rack, air compressor, and tool length sensor to be set up. A complete system may end up costing over $4000 CAD.
- The SLB-EXT controller used with the AltMill has not yet been tested for full ATC functionality, but should be compatible if set up with the necessary firmware/software.
Collet Size
- An ER11 collet will allow holding up to ¼” or 7mm tools
- An ER16 collet will allow holding up to ⅜”, or 10mm tools
- An ER20 collet will allow holding up to ½”, or 13mm tools
- An ER25 collet will allow holding up to ⅝” or 16mm tools
Differences between VFD Models
- Some VFD models will be rated for different amounts of power. The VFD should be matched with the spindle you’re using, either meeting or exceeding the rating of the spindle (ie. a 2.5kW VFD with 2.2kW spindle is okay)
- Different models will be rated for different AC power voltages. For 110/120V power found in most households with a 15A current breaker, you’ll be limited to a power rating of 1.5kW in most cases. If you have a 20A current breaker, you may be able to use a 110/120V, 2.2kW VFD however this is not recommended.
- The SuperLongBoard controller has plug-and-play support for RS485 control of only certain VFD units such as: Huanyang V1, Huanyang P2A, Durapulse GS20, Yalang YS620 and H100. Setting up RS485 control for other VFD models is possible using the ‘MODVFD’ customizable profile, but be warned that this can be quite involved and support cannot be guaranteed for all VFD models. RS485 control is also not found on every VFD unit.