The milling spindle is the main component of a milling machine that transfers power to the cutting tool. It can be positioned horizontally or vertically and can have one or multiple spindles. The speed of the spindle must be set appropriately to avoid damage to the tool or workpiece. Excessive vibration can occur if the spindle speed is set too high. Modern CNC machines often incorporate three or more milling spindles for faster production and higher productivity.
The major rotating component of a milling machine that transfers power to the cutting tool is called the milling spindle. Milling is a machining process in which a workpiece is moved relative to a rotating tool with cutting edges to remove material. As the milling spindle rotates the cutting tool, work is fed into it from various directions to form the desired shape.
Cutting tools generally have straight or tapered portions on one end of them while the cutting edges are found at the other end of the tool. The end opposite the cutting end is mounted in the milling machine chuck to align and support the tool and to provide power and rotation. A variety of chuck adapters, collets and other tools are available to mount the tool into the milling spindle.
Milling spindles can be positioned horizontally or vertically, depending on the particular mill being used. On a vertical machine, the spindle is mounted parallel to the mill’s support column in a sliding head that can move up and down. Many modern vertical mills have heads that can be rotated to position the milling spindle for angle cutting.
The milling spindle in a horizontal machine is usually in a fixed position with its motor housed in the mill column. For a horizontal machine, the spindle typically cannot be reoriented as some vertical machines allow. A horizontal machine may, however, have a table that can be rotated to change the angle of the spindle relative to the workpiece. On some machines, a vertical spindle mount can be used to convert a horizontal router to a vertical setup.
The speed of a milling spindle must be set appropriately for safe machine operation and to avoid damage to the tool or workpiece. Router manufacturers can provide recommended values or they can be calculated for the particular tool being used and the material being machined. Speed is typically set using a dial or hand crank on the machine. Modern machines may allow for stepless adjustment across a range of speeds while older models may have a limited number of specific settings.
Routers can suffer from excessive vibration, called chatter, under certain conditions. Vibration can make precision machining difficult or impossible and can damage the tool in use. A common cause of vibration is when the spindle speed is set too high. When reducing speed does not correct the condition, the problem could be due to out of balance equipment, a loose fixture, or some other problem.
A simple mill may have only one milling spindle while more complex machines may incorporate multiple spindles. More than one chuck allows you to cut in two or three dimensions without repositioning the workpiece. Modern computer numerical control (CNC) machines used in complex milling operations often incorporate three or more milling spindles for faster production and higher productivity.
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