A Look at Safety in Manufacturing

Depending on the application, machine spindles can be necessary for a range of functions in different pieces of equipment. If you have a CNC machine shop, the CNC machines you use do rely on spindles at different points. The more you know about the spindles your equipment relies on, the better equipped you will be when you have to seek replacements or tend to maintenance issues with your machines. CNC machines tend to have three types of center-mounted spindles. Here is a look at the three different types. 

Belt-Driven Center Spindles 

Belt-driven spindles are found on a lot of standard machines, and they could be deemed as the most common type of center spindle in the CNC equipment available today. Obviously, the belt-driven center spindle is turned with the aid of a belt that is usually positioned around the center or directly in an indention in the spindle's body. These belt-driven spindles are popular because: 

• they allow for the spindle to turn at higher speeds than some other configurations 
• mounting the spindles can be relatively simple during replacement 
• belt-driven spindles often offer more stable rotation action 

Direct-Driven Center Spindles 

Direct-driven center spindles are driven by the rotation of other mechanisms within the CNC machine. While direct-driven spindles are a little less common among the custom designs, they are valued for specific purposes. For example, some smaller machines need a spindle that turns freely without direct operation from another mechanism. Therefore, a direct-driven center spindle would be the most viable option. 

Motorized Center Spindles 

Motorized center spindles have their own mechanical revolving mechanisms that cause the spindle to turn while the machine is in use. While more complex and more expensive to build, the motorized center spindle does offer a more reliable spindle function for most applications. Unfortunately, a self-motorized center spindle can require a bit more ongoing maintenance because it is technically a spindle mounted to a motor instead of just a spindle, but that can be expected with any motorized unit. 

Work With a Reliable Custom Machine Spindle Supplier for Help 

Spindles serve such important purposes in your equipment, and they should be carefully created to work for the application. Therefore, finding the best custom machine supplier possible is an important thing for your own operation. Reach out to a manufacturer of custom machine spindles like HPT Spindles & Drives Inc. for more information about what they have available or can create for your business equipment.