Tool Holder sticks in Spindle

[bushmaster556]

W are using a Haas Super VF-4 cnc mill.. We have been having a problem with the tapered tool holder sticking in the spindle.. Has anyone out there had this problem? Each time we go thru the steps to remove it and use a small pinch bar to lever it out.. Can someone give me info on how to correct this problem?

Thanks in advance...
John..

[Geof]

This has been discussed many times and I could be cruel and tell you to do a search but instead I will give you some comments.

Make sure the spindle taper is nice and clean with no dried out coolant crud inside. Wipe it with an alcohol soaked rag to get coolant crud out and a varsol soaked rag to get out other crud.

Also make sure all the tool holders are nice and clean by wiping them with the alcohol/varsol rags.

Some people suggest using Scotchbrite to cleans things others say don't use this because it scratches things. We find it is not necessary to use anything violent if you just use different solvents.

After getting everything spotlessly clean lubricate everything with light oil.

If this doesn't solve the problem start keeping records. We have found some toolholders stick more than others and when these holders are used for tools that do a lot of heavy cutting they stick very badly. So we don't use them for that kind of work.

Sometimes we cannot avoid having tools stick when they are doing a lot of heavy cutting so we modify programs to put in dumby toolchanges before the tool has done enough work to stick.

On a couple of machines we installed air tanks downstream of the regulator to reduce the pressure drop when the tool changer operates, this gives a bit more force on the tool eject piston.

[holbieone]

use this ALTEMP Q NB 50 - High Temperature Long Term Grease

you wipe it on the taper in a very thin coat , you'll never get another tool stuck

[haastec]

use this ALTEMP Q NB 50 - High Temperature Long Term Grease

you wipe it on the taper in a very thin coat , you'll never get another tool stuck

This may work for your situation without problems, but you are definitely an exception to the rule. My recommendation is to not use any kind of grease on the spindle tapers. This is also stated in the machine manual.

Geof is right on the money with his recommendations.

[holbieone]

This may work for your situation without problems, but you are definitely an exception to the rule. My recommendation is to not use any kind of grease on the spindle tapers. This is also stated in the machine manual.

Geof is right on the money with his recommendations.

if you tried this product , i am sure you would change your "recommendation"

[Geof]

This is taken from the data sheet for ALTEMP Q NB 50 Grease:

Thickener: Barium complex soap + inorganic solid lubricants

And this is why I do not use grease, any grease, for lubricating spindle tapers.

[holbieone]

This is taken from the data sheet for ALTEMP Q NB 50 Grease:

Thickener: Barium complex soap + inorganic solid lubricants

And this is why I do not use grease, any grease, for lubricating spindle tapers.

and this is a bad thing , why ?

[Geof]

The thickeners are the non-oily parts of grease that remain behind when the mineral oil in the grease has evaporated. They form the crud that accumulates over the long term on any grease lubricated equipment that is not regularly cleaned. And they are not needed in a spindle taper, the soap is to form a matrix to hold the oil and stop it draining out of the location it is supposed to lubricate, the solid lubricants are to form a layer preventing direct metal to metal contact during sliding motion under extremely high contact forces. All these components do is contribute to building up a layer of crud on the taper(s). In particular the solid lubricant because this is intended to adhere tenaciously to metal surfaces.

If you diligently clean the taper(s) very frequently the crud build up will not occur but I think it is simpler to just wipe a thin film of mineral oil over the taper.

[holbieone]

The thickeners are the non-oily parts of grease that remain behind when the mineral oil in the grease has evaporated. They form the crud that accumulates over the long term on any grease lubricated equipment that is not regularly cleaned. And they are not needed in a spindle taper, the soap is to form a matrix to hold the oil and stop it draining out of the location it is supposed to lubricate, the solid lubricants are to form a layer preventing direct metal to metal contact during sliding motion under extremely high contact forces. All these components do is contribute to building up a layer of crud on the taper(s). In particular the solid lubricant because this is intended to adhere tenaciously to metal surfaces.

If you diligently clean the taper(s) very frequently the crud build up will not occur but I think it is simpler to just wipe a thin film of mineral oil over the taper.

if one applied this product in a way that it would accumulate, one is using too much , you use about the amount of a head of a pin

well to each his own

i know if you used ALTEMP Q NB 50 you would like it Geof

[djr76]

do it, do it Geof, its only 1 hit lol

[andre_77]

At me were, problems at tool extraction on VF1. The problem has been solved by parameter change, on mine №250.