Re: Auto tool changers

Hi John,

Normally the toolchangers aren't air powered. The sound is probably
the spindle blowing air when the tools change. When the tool is un-
lactched from the spindle, high-pressure air keeps contaminants like
swarf and coolant from getting in there until the next tool occupies
that space. This feature is more or less standard on late model
toochanger equipped CNC's.

Cheers!
Sean

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "John H." <johnhe-uk@s...> wrote:
> Hello list,
>
> I downloaded two small videos of a Sirrus machining centre.
Apart from
> the truely terrifying speed the table moves at I noticed it made
some
> serious noise when it changed tools. I suspected it to be an air
powered
> tool changer. It may or may not be but why do so many new machines
use air
> powered tool changers and spindles? I remember one guy on here who
owns a
> ?Haas? machining centre, is it Sven?, who said the noise of the
compressor
> almost drove him nuts.
>
> How much are simple cheap and nasty tool changers for lathes?
The lathe
> in question is a 5" swing, 1/2hp deal and I'm thinking of three of
four
> tools. I've looked but not found any prices on the internet. It's
school
> this Monday and I'm hoping the DT technician has some good news
for me about
> a certain CNC lathe. It's getting very hard to sit still and be
patient now.
>
> John H.