Need Help!- Using Air Turbine Tools

[carlosdcerna]

I just bought a spindle from air turbine tools and i have a little problem.
In order to use this spindle the machine spindle has to run at 0 rpm. It has to be at 0 rpm because the air turbine spindle uses compressed air to turn the spindle. This compressed air is delivered via a hose connected to the spindle. What is the safest way to this? Is there some sort of m-code? Can i do it from mastercam??
Please help

[JohnJW]

I am thinking of getting one as well to do small aluminum molds for injection molding. Which air spindle did you get and what type end end mill and material will you be cutting?

thanks,

John

[rlabonte18]

we use one for engraving there are a few user available m codes i think m51-m54 is on and m61-m64 is off there are taps on the top left of the main i/o board that you can use to hook up an air valve.

[Matt@RFR]

Originally Posted by carlosdcerna I just bought a spindle from air turbine tools and i have a little problem. In order to use this spindle the machine spindle has to run at 0 rpm. It has to be at 0 rpm because the air turbine spindle uses compressed air to turn the spindle. This compressed air is delivered via a hose connected to the spindle. What is the safest way to this? Is there some sort of m-code? Can i do it from mastercam?? Please help

Mastercam is going to always post an M3 Sxxx unless you modify your post processor. The easiest way for you to do this is to simply delete the M3 line in your program and never give the spindle any commands. It will run just fine like that. M3 S0 is going to give you an alarm, I'm pretty sure.

I brush aluminum parts for one of my customers by holding a 2" conditioning disc in a tool holder and running the disc over the part at 100% rapid, but I did try G1 moves with no spindle command and it worked just fine.

However, I wonder if what you really need is to orient and lock the spindle in one spot. I think it depends on the year of the machine and if it has the spindle orient option (if you have a probe, you have the orient option as well), but M19 Pxx.xx will orient the spindle. I believe the machine will run G1/2/3 commands like that.

[Geof]

Try using the spindle orientation command M19 to lock the spindle.

EDIT
Although on second thoughts this might not work because the spindle sometimes rotates a full revolution before locking. It could work with enough slack in the airline.

[KenFoulks]

If you are only going to use the air turbine, you can alias the M03 to turn on the tool. You can also try M05 as a spindle turn-on.