Re: Re: Tool change

Smoke wrote:

>You'd have a hard time convincing someone with a CNC router to
>install a tool changer!

Actually, I've had a harder time convincing them NOT to...

But...
It only takes once seeing a 20k rpm tool(and holder) go flying across
the shop when the spindle "let it go" to NEVER want to use a tool
changer with a CNC router again!

This was a system which put the tools in holders at one end of the
table (fairly common for this type of tool). What happened was, some
swarf got on the toolholder(while it was sitting waiting to be used)
and when the 'cone'was 'pulled into' the spindle, it didn't seat
correctly... The router spindle began to spin up to 20k RPM and the
eccentric motion (caused by the swarf on the tool holder) made the
spindle let go! This could have been really ugly; fortunately no one
was hurt...

Ballendo

P.S. The control was re-written to 'spin up' the tool just above the
stationary position before moving across the table. Longer tool
change, but like I said, you only ever want to see this ONCE...