[axkiker]

IS there a way to adapt a cat40 pull stud system to a home cnc type outfit?

I really like the cnc pull stuf idea as it would make changes via an auto tool changer easy

any help??

Thanks

[Algirdas]

what's a problem, I don't understand. What is "home cnc"?

[axkiker]

what's a problem, I don't understand. What is "home cnc"?

can you purcahse a spindle setup which accepts the cat40 tool holders

Everything I see comes set up with non removeable er type setups. I want something which I can use with an auto tool changer

am I making sense?

[EPTech]

a CAT-40 with pneumatic tool intake is not a small assembly. On my machine the spindle cassette with pneumatic cylinder is about 30cm squared and 60 cm high. The weight is considerable. What size is the machine you would like to fit with an ATC?

[Algirdas]

Sure, You can get the hollow spindle. You can get the bar with disk springs and appropriate collet also. You can get the cylinder, the coupling rotary unit. You can install Deublin unit - for coolant hrough-spindle.
It's cheaper to get a second-hand CNC machining center and rebuild it, I think.
Only You can decide, what is reasonable, what is not. If You evaluate design and building wery high ...

[axkiker]

a CAT-40 with pneumatic tool intake is not a small assembly. On my machine the spindle cassette with pneumatic cylinder is about 30cm squared and 60 cm high. The weight is considerable. What size is the machine you would like to fit with an ATC?

Okay I may be looking into something that is not feasable. I originally got to thinking about it after looking at some of the home cnc router setups with the auto tool changers . Im not sure what spindle setup they are using though. I was just trying to find something more robust for milling aluminum.


Any ideas what system the taig or sieg systems use. There are several of them on your tube with auto changers

Thanks

[axkiker]

Sure, You can get the hollow spindle. You can get the bar with disk springs and appropriate collet also. You can get the cylinder, the coupling rotary unit. You can install Deublin unit - for coolant hrough-spindle.
It's cheaper to get a second-hand CNC machining center and rebuild it, I think.
Only You can decide, what is reasonable, what is not. If You evaluate design and building wery high ...

does the hollow spindle and bar have a specific name etc. I have been trying to look them up just to see whats involved but cant find them

Thanks

[underthetire]

You might want to think smaller, maybe 30 or even 20 taper. Cat 40 spindles are usually about 2000+ pounds of force to clamp the tool. This means you need an air or air/oil cylinder that will be able to compress the drawbar at 2000+ pounds to release the tool. This means quite large bearings and very stout mounts to do this. You can use a CT/BT 40 tool with maybe a threaded drawbar similar to a bridgeport with a power drawbar.

[jsheerin]

The Haas spindles, etc that we were talking about earlier will do this. The one I bought is a Cat40 taper. It didn't come with the drawbar, but it is hollow and I could buy or build a drawbar for it.

[axkiker]

You might want to think smaller, maybe 30 or even 20 taper. Cat 40 spindles are usually about 2000+ pounds of force to clamp the tool. This means you need an air or air/oil cylinder that will be able to compress the drawbar at 2000+ pounds to release the tool. This means quite large bearings and very stout mounts to do this. You can use a CT/BT 40 tool with maybe a threaded drawbar similar to a bridgeport with a power drawbar.

Okay good call. I will look into the 30 or 20 setups... I guess im just kinda confused as to how the cnc type with the pull studs work.

I have a knee mill which has an R8 setup but its manual. I have seen the auto pneumatic releases built for them but I am uncertain if that could be adapted to an auto tool changer.... So thats what got me looking at the cat40 with pull studs.

Maybe a 30 or 20 would be more up my alley

[Algirdas]

does the hollow spindle and bar have a specific name
as You understood already, it is hollow spindle and draw bar.
see whats involved
a lot.
My first suggestion was and the same now - forget it.
2 tons is normal clampping force for BT40 (the same for CAT40) and BT50 tapers.
You need spindle orientation. You need all assembly - fixtures and bearings - to be rigid enough to stand out the load of tool unclamp. You need a solution to fix the spindle to keep it's idex position while clampping the tool.
And more ...

[axkiker]

Okay so someone please fill me in on what type of spindle setup I have seen some of the CNC router setups use.. There are several you can look up on you tube which us some sort of auto tool changing feature... A couple looked like cat?? setups but maybe im wrong Whatever they are using doesnt look to be all that complicated or bulky.

[Algirdas]

A couple looked like cat?? setups but maybe im wrong
makes no difference. MAS, JIS - whatever - they use pull stud. Idea is the same.
doesnt look to be all that complicated or bulky
what do you expect to see from outside? Pusher with springs and all the stuff is inside. It is a core of spindle.
You can see hydraulic cylinder, piping. You can note rotary unit (joint) if you are lucky.
Everything else is inside.
You can see cables coming to sensors. How many sensors? Do you know, what for?

[jsheerin]

There are lots of different taper sizes and types like Algirdas says. A lot of them look like cat tapers, but they might be different. I have seen ISO and HSK used on routers - I think some of those tend to be smaller. For example, with an ISO20 you can typically get tool holders with an ER20 taper in the end. That will hold tools in the 3/4" diameter range and smaller.

[axkiker]

A couple looked like cat?? setups but maybe im wrong
makes no difference. MAS, JIS - whatever - they use pull stud. Idea is the same.

Okay now we are getting somewhere.... Im unfamiliar with the different setups so I can do some searches on the different types.


doesnt look to be all that complicated or bulky
what do you expect to see from outside? Pusher with springs and all the stuff is inside. It is a core of spindle.
You can see hydraulic cylinder, piping. You can note rotary unit (joint) if you are lucky.
Everything else is inside.
You can see cables coming to sensors. How many sensors? Do you know, what for?

In the scheme of things no I dont see this as being all that complicated. Im not saying that I would be capable of building the setup myself. However from what I have seen they have units which are capable that are within reach of the home cnc guy. With enough research I would expect to find a unit that could be adapted to a home outfit. My big concern was that it was going to be too big or bulky to be adapted to a home type outfit.

[axkiker]

There are lots of different taper sizes and types like Algirdas says. A lot of them look like cat tapers, but they might be different. I have seen ISO and HSK used on routers - I think some of those tend to be smaller. For example, with an ISO20 you can typically get tool holders with an ER20 taper in the end. That will hold tools in the 3/4" diameter range and smaller.

Hey thanks for the info on the 1S020 setup... ill do some research and see what I can find