Help me to understand spindle load...

[61SedanMan]

I am working on a project and have been tweaking the first step to death. I currently have the bulk of the program running with a spindle load of around 60-80 percent, but there are a few strokes that are running the spindle load at 175 percent for upwards of 5 seconds at a time. It is only a 7.5 horsepower head and at this stage it slows the spindle down. Now I recently read that my 7.5 horsepower head is only rated so at 200 percent spindle load for 30 seconds. So am I safe from damaging anything at 175 percent for 5 seconds? I have the spindle load setting on autofeed, so the feed I guess slows, but it is happening so fast I am not seeing it. Is there any way to have it slow down the feed automatically so that you never go above, say, 130 percent? Someone please explain this so I am not afraid to push this thing hard. What spindle loads do you guys run at? Thanks.

[Geof]

Unless you have entered a maximum spindle load your autofeed will not kick in.

The load settings are CURRENT COMMANDS and then page down until you get to the page with a column for spindle load. Put in whatever you want to be the maximum for each tool; I use 120%.

Now you should certainly see the feed back off when you hit the high load regions in the cut.

I think you are pretty safe running 175% for 5 seconds and there is no reason why you should set your maximum load lower than this. I only use 120% because I am conservative.

[PBMW]

My SL10 hits 180% when it starts and stops the spindle...
I run my Mini at 175% all the time. Not fro long periods of time...but getting into nad out of a cut it'll peg the meter sometimes