the heat in the head is generated by the spindle belt. i would check the belt tension. too tight is not good---excess heat and load on the upper spindle bearings. yes .002 is not unheard of. consider this, there are machines on the market that have all kinds of thermal comp. and, they cost 200-500 thousand dollars. some manufacturers do provide coolant systems passing through the head and/or spindle nose to help this situation. hurco has this feature on there vmx line. they also have a spindle chiller available on many models. the vm-1 is an excellent performer for the price. remember a chevy and a mercedes are both good cars, but there is a distinct difference in price, ride, and COST. however, they will both get you there at the posted speed limit. the industry these days, because of competition is promising all kinds of .0001 this and that specs. those kind of tolerances are in reality for jig grinders and jig borers or those half million dollar machines. sometimes we expect too much from our technology. back to the issue at hand. sounds like you need a vmx-24 with chiller and 10k or 15k spindle to run all day at 8k. they'll do it. remember the difference is MONEY. right? the vm-1 is an excellent machine and has been very successful. be sure when buying a new machine that those you talk to about the purchase understand it's application and use. you are on the right track to warm up the head first. it will help.  |