Re: Auto tool changers

Hi John,

Simple answer to why us air ?

POWER. you can make a 1,000 ft lb torque
air cylinder for $100. probably much less.

So, cost, it is much cheaper.
one solenoid, one piston. = $100.00 ?

One Gecko, one 500in oz motor.....

so to move a 25 pound tool into and out of a
socket power is needed.

Another reason, speed. although electricity
travels at the speed of light and pressure
travels at the speed to sound, it is much
faster to pop a cork than to spin a screw.

Dave

--- 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.