cat40 pull stud ?

[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]

Originally Posted by Algirdas 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]

Originally Posted by 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?

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]

Originally Posted by 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 ...

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.