Gear driven spindles add to the cost of the machine and can be noisier and require more maintenance than their competitor — the belt driven spindle. There was a time when a gear driven spindle may have been preferred over a belt driven spindle, but the advances in materials and belt design have proven it to be a low maintenance alternative.

After attending IMTS, it's clear that the integration of advanced technologies is ready to enhance precision, efficiency and automation in mold manufacturing processes. It’s a massive event, so here’s a glimpse of what the MMT team experienced firsthand.

Similar to the above, if a customer is still keeping it “old school” and likes to take very slow, heavy cuts in steel, using larger diameter tooling — like big face mills — then this would also be an instance where the traditional VMXi model with the belted spindle would be a better choice.

Discover how to enhance your mold design process with the right CAD/CAM tool for parting and cavity design. This webinar will explore CAD/CAM capabilities including how hybrid solid/surface modeling can streamline workflow and improve accuracy. Learn how to confidently tackle parting, runoff, and shutoff, ensuring precision and efficiency in your designs. Agenda: Part analysis QuickSplit techniques Parting and runoff strategies Shutoff solutions

Critical Cleaning Hands-on Workshop Do it; learn it! The one-day workshop teaches how cleaning and cleanliness testing work. By participating in hands-on exercises of techniques for cleaning and cleanliness verification, attendees gain the understanding and knowledge to make practical, effective, and sustainable manufacturing decisions. While exercises are supplemented by demonstrations and tutorials, the workshop is not death by PowerPoint! Topics include aqueous, solvent, and “non-chemical” cleaning, including cleaning chemicals and cleaning processes (spray, ultrasonics, cyclic nucleation, in-line, batch). Most manufactured product and product contact surfaces require cleaning during (and sometimes after) manufacture and assembly.  Examples of areas where effective cleaning is essential include: metal fabrication, product assembly, optics, electronics, microelectronics, wafer fab, medical devices, aerospace/aeronautics, military, and additive manufacturing. WHAT DO YOU CALL CLEANING? There are many different terms for cleaning. Cleaning Precision Cleaning Critical Cleaning Safety/Critical Cleaning Surface Prep for Finishing Technical Cleanliness Residue Removal WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE WORKSHOP If you or your company fabricates, finishes, maintains or repairs product or product contact surfaces (like reaction vessels), this workshop is time well-spent. If you sell chemicals or cleaning equipment, this workshop will help you better understand and optimize the market for your products. Examples include: Manufacturing Engineers Product Designers Managers Sales and Marketing Managers Facilities Personnel Assemblers, operators Process Technicians Quality Control Personnel Regulatory Affairs Experts (industry, military, and government) Safety/environmental professionals​ ​ Participants will receive a PDF Certificate of Completion with continuing education credits from Sam Houston State University.

The Manufacturing Technology Series East, featuring EASTEC in West Springfield, Massachusetts — is at the epicenter of a region that is a traditional manufacturing powerhouse. Historically, more than 700 companies have connected at this event to network, learn from industry experts and explore the latest manufacturing technologies.

The need for data to track information and the history of the mold-building process is ever-increasing, and mold component solutions can help.

This webinar will provide an overview of new developments in hot runners, controllers, mold components, predesigned molds, process monitoring and mold maintenance equipment. These advancements are designed with the goals of lowering scrap rates, optimizing process temperatures and managing energy consumption. The solutions also aim to support productivity and may contribute to extending the operational lifespan of tooling equipment. Agenda: Innovative undercut and thread-forming components Predesign mold bases and plate control Melt delivery and control solutions Process monitoring and maintenance

In the case of Hurco CNC machines, the traditional VMXi models with a belted spindle have 175 ft. lbs. of torque at 1500 rpm or less, but once the spindle goes above 1,500 rpm, the VMXDi CNC machines with the direct drive spindle have the same amount of torque as the belted spindle. According to Hurco’s engineers, once the spindle reaches speeds above 7,200 rpm, the D-series (direct drive) has more torque.

Such systems are sometimes necessary if bearing spindle speeds are in excess of 18,000, but they add maintenance cost and increase replacement cost of the spindle. Additionally, these lubrication systems must be monitored to make sure the ratio and the amount of oil and air and/or mist are correct.

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Coolant Through the Spindle (CTS) is generally recommended when machining at 12,000 rpm or more, and you have custom tools or expensive tools that you want to ensure are protected. CTS also is recommended at lower rpm for certain applications and duty cycles. Prices vary for this feature depending upon the pressure of the CTS and how the spindle was designed.

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Due to the nearly perfect roundness of the ceramic balls, hybrid ceramic bearings operate at much lower temperatures than steel ball bearings, which results in longer life for the bearing lubricant.

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Just like tires on a car, you will eventually need to replace the spindle on your VMC. In your zeal to make a purchasing decision for a brand new machining center, make sure you look ahead to the day when the spindle will need to be replaced. You need to know how much it will cost, availability of your type of spindle and downtime to install.

The two major enemies of the spindle are heat and contaminants (namely, chips and coolant invading the bearing system). Find out what design features are included (or available as options) that protect the spindle. Historically, the most common cause of spindle failure has been bearing failure due to contamination from coolant ingress, condensation, contamination or chip damage. You want the spindle temperature to stay cool, and you want to make sure contaminants stay out.

Lubrication Proper lubrication of bearings is essential. There are several systems that machine tool manufacturers use to keep the bearings properly lubricated — such as oil-mist, oil-air, oil-jet and pulsed oil-air.

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Because of the reduction of heat, better acceleration and deceleration of the spindle, higher spindle speeds, better surface finishes — and the fact that almost all tooling these days is run above the 1,500 rpm threshold — the VMXDi series Hurco CNC machines would be the better choice for the majority of customers.

Types of Spindles Spindle technology offers various ways to drive the spindle — belt, gear, inline and built-in motor. With a belt driven spindle, make sure the belt is easy to maintain and easily accessible to minimize maintenance costs. Additionally, the type of belt will affect the noise level of the machine. A belt with a herringbone design is quieter than other belt designs because of the way it disperses trapped air to reduce the noise.

A water-based, eco-friendly plastic mold cleaning system helps Rankine-Hinman Manufacturing restore flow rates and avoid big-ticket failures on complex and costly molds.

Heat exchangers or chillers (most common) are used to keep the spindle cool and control spindle growth as well as head growth. This type of system adds life to the spindle and reduces head growth, and is typically used when you’re running long cycles or high duty cycles. The selection of the chiller is dependent upon the application. For extended high-speed applications, you may want to investigate a thermal stabilization system. This system uses a thermostat with an oil chiller to automatically cool the spindle as needed.

The above depiction may be true — the spindle may not be overly complex or smart or beautiful, but it sure does work hard and endures a lot of abuse. The amount of force and wear and tear it must endure means the design of the spindle and the quality of the parts buried within the spindle are vital to your spindle’s performance and its lifespan. The spindle is truly the heart of the machining center.

Identifying specific areas where CAM software can utilize machine capabilities to benefit the user and maximize milling machine potential.

Proper cooling is crucial in molding, yet often overlooked. Discover proper cooling methods to prevent defects and improve efficiency.

The Society of Plastics Engineers’ Mold Technologies division is accepting applications for a $3,000 student scholarship honoring Joseph Prischak and a $5,000 educational grant program.

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Temperature is the other factor that leads to spindle problems. Because heat causes steel to expand, manufacturers should explain what measures they have taken to protect the spindle from head growth — which leads to mostly Y and Z axis changes.

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Here are techniques commonly used to combat chatter and guidelines to establish a foundation for optimizing the moldmaking process.

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Like the spindle, temperature can have a negative impact on tooling. Find out if the spindle comes with a coolant ring or uses flexible coolant nozzles. With a coolant ring, you want to find out how many nozzles there are and whether they are adjustable. Obviously, the more nozzles the better and having the ability to adjust the direction of the nozzles is an advantage to cover a large range of tool lengths without frequent adjustments.

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In a bearing system, the balls roll between the inner and outer steel raceways. The material used for the ball bearings affects temperature, vibration levels and the life of the spindle. Hybrid ceramic bearings offer distinct advantages over typical steel ball bearings.

Permanently lubricated bearings are the best option for keeping maintenance costs down and replacement costs lower. With permanently lubricated bearings, you don’t have to hassle with lubrication — it’s handled during the assembly of the spindle. The bearings can also be pre-packed with grease (permanent lubrication) by the bearing suppliers.

Alba Enterprises created a mold base to match the needs and pacing of product iteration using mold tooling made via additive manufacturing.

Join MoldMaking Technology Editorial Director Christina Fuges as she discovers the benefits of eLearning, including promoting sustainability in moldmaking by reducing travel, minimizing waste and enhancing global workforce accessibility.

The inline spindle (sometimes called a direct drive spindle) is designed so the spindle is coupled directly to the motor. Inline spindles provide excellent surface finish and smoother, quieter operation.

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Mark the calendar for AMBA Conference 2025, "Breakthrough Innovation," May 7-9, 2025, Grand Rapids, MI. During this industry event, attendees will meet with peers to discuss best practices in business, employee management, technology and more.

Footnote 1The information on the ceramic hybrid bearings referenced is from William Popoli, President, IBAG North America.

Extrusion's general sessions cover best practices, troubleshooting and processing solutions that can help you run your operation and maximize the utilization of your existing assets—as efficiently as possible. ​ Extrusion professionals from the shop floor to the front office are represented at the Extrusion Conference.​ You’ll meet the entire global supply chain: manufacturing managers, supervisors, engineers and technicians, as well as engineers and technical managers at OEMs and other firms.

Ceramic ball bearings have 60% less mass than steel balls. This is significant because as a ball bearing is operating, particularly at high rotational speeds, centrifugal forces push the balls to the outer race and even begin to deform the shape of the ball. When the bearing starts to deform, it starts wearing faster and leads to deterioration. Ceramic balls with less mass will not be affected as much at the same speed. In fact, the use of ceramic balls enables up to 30% higher speed for a given ball bearing size without sacrificing bearing life, according to information from a manufacturer of high-speed milling spindles.1

Discover how to enhance your mold design process with CAD/CAM software specifically tailored for the moldmaking industry. In part two of this webinar series, Cimatron will demonstrate how to intelligently design mold components, such as slides and lifters, using powerful CAD/CAM tools to accelerate the design process. Additionally, it will cover how to avoid errors and ensure design accuracy for ejector pins by checking clearance distances, calculating cutoff heights correctly, and thoroughly documenting all ejector components. Agenda: Slides Lifters Inserts Ejection pins and charts

When used for conformal cooling in plastic injection, 3D printing opens a wide range of design freedom. This design freedom enables designers to develop highly-efficient thermal regulation networks. However, this blessing also comes at the expense of not only higher manufacturing cost but also higher design cost as the designer could spend weeks to develop optimal cooling channels. This webinar will explore strategies and tools — including SimForm, a front-end thermal simulation app — to help tool designers and tooling managers maximize the benefits of 3D printing while minimizing manufacturing and design costs. Agenda: 3D printing applied to the plastic injection industry 3D printing pros and cons Tools and methods to facilitate the integration of 3D printing

Tests show that spindles utilizing hybrid ceramic bearings exhibit higher rigidity and have higher natural frequencies, making them less sensitive to vibration, which results in longer life for the bearing lubricant.1

PTXPO 2025 is a comprehensive showcase of cutting-edge technologies and innovations within the plastics molding industry. Join fellow molders, moldmakers, brand owners, OEMs and their full suite of suppliers in Rosemont, IL for three days of non-stop networking, education and business development opportunities.

Sustainable, productivity-boosting innovations for moldmakers, including stress relief, traceability and cooling solutions.

Another contributing factor to spindle performance is the tooling used. Using unbalanced tools, worn tools and/or tools that are too long can affect the longevity of your spindle.

While the transition from traditional methods to this innovative approach may present initial challenges, the benefits far outweigh the learning curve. Through the NextMold and partner network, Forward AM provides comprehensive support at every stage of the integration process. This ensures a smooth adoption of the technology into company’s operations, including seamless collaboration with molding companies. Forward AM’s commitment is to facilitate this technological transformation, enabling your business to leverage the full potential of 3D-printed mold inserts. Agenda:  Molding with 3D-printed inserts Ultrasim3D Next Mold: Forward AM offering Successful adaption: integration at Beaumont Technologies

Some spindles are designed with a coolant ring that has adjustable nozzles. This picture shows a coolant ring with eight adjustable nozzles to blast away chips and keep the temperature of the tool and workpiece cool.

In ISO 9001 quality management systems, the Management Representative (MR) plays a crucial role. While the 2015 version of ISO 9001 no longer mandates this position, having a trusted management member serve as an MR remains vital for streamlining operations and maintaining quality standards.

ReelView Fishing faced an electronics obstacle in the development of its new technology for underwater video. Additive manufacturing for moldmaking enabled the speed necessary to iterate to a solution.

[1] Arda Genç, Phase Stability in Metallic Multilayers, Ohio State University, Dissertation, 2008. [2] Roman Adam, Stefan Benacka, Stefan Chromik, Marian Darula, Vladimir Strbik, and Stefan Gazi, Ivan Kostic, Emil Pincik, YBa2Cu3O7-x Step-Edge Junctions Prepared on Sapphire Substrates with YSZ Buffer Layer, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 5 (2), 1995. [3] Williams, K., Gupta, K. & Wasilik, M. Etch rates for micromachining processingpart II. J. Microelectromech. S. 12, 761–778 (2003). [4] Commonwealth Scientific Corporation. Ion beam etch rates. Bulletin 137-78. [5] CHAPTER 3 Topography Effects in Deposition and Etching.

Intralox's integration of the Alpha Laser ALFlak has significantly improved their tool room efficiency when it comes to difficult welds and urgent repairs.

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Suppose a customer is doing a lot of drilling and tapping larger holes (using large diameter taps and large diameter drills). In that case, the likelihood of running above 1,500 rpm for those processes is doubtful. Therefore, the traditional VMXi model with the belted spindle would be the better choice in these cases.

No matter the type of spindle, the motor that drives the spindle is obviously important. Motors with two sets of windings — called dual wound spindle motors — provide more cutting torque and material removal. Single wound motors are used where lower torque is sufficient and higher base speeds are not an issue.

In most cases, contaminants enter the spindle because the spindle seal failed. Find out what design measures the machine tool manufacturer has taken to keep the seal tight. An air purge system uses a labyrinth seal and purges the seal with positive air pressure to keep contaminants out. A dual air purge system, a system with two ports (usually upper and lower) is one design feature that works well to keep contaminants out of the way.

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Ceramic balls do not react with the steel raceways, eliminating a condition called cold welding — a major cause of bearing failure. Cold welding occurs when the microscopic cold welding of ball material to the raceway causes surface wear. The cold welds actually break as the bearings rotate and that creates surface roughness that leads to heat generation and bearing failure.

Identifying specific areas where CAM software can utilize machine capabilities to benefit the user and maximize milling machine potential.

Sustainable, productivity-boosting innovations for moldmakers, including stress relief, traceability and cooling solutions.

In this most recent product roundup, MMT continues to offer a variety of innovative as well as tried-and-true technologies to benefit moldmakers.

The spindle is the workhorse of your machining center. Make sure the manufacturer of your machining center has taken spindle design seriously and has invested in quality components that will help increase the longevity of your machining center’s spindle.

A discussion with AMT’s Bill Herman during ShopTalk on the big stage at IMTS 2024 highlights moldmaking's unique blend of craft and technology that is driving innovation while its community tackles key challenges.

There also are different types of bearings, with angular contact ball bearings being the type most commonly used in high-speed spindle design. These bearings provide precision, load carrying capacity and the speed needed for cutting metal. The precision balls are fitted into a precision steel race and provide both axial and radial load carrying capacity.

Coolant Through the Spindle (CTS) is important to protective expensive and custom tools. When a spindle is designed with CTS in mind, it’s much easier to add this option.

These humble but essential fasteners used in injection molds are known by various names and used for a number of purposes.

The design of the spindle and the quality of the parts contained within the spindle are important factors that contribute to the spindle’s longevity. The spindle designed with features that keep chips and coolant out of the spindle’s bearing system, such as an air purge system and wipers that use positive lubrication pressure to protect the spindle from contaminants. Photo Credit, all images: Hurco

Table 1309. Examples of milling rates of different materials with Ar ion polishing. The incident angle is the angle of incidence with respect to target normal.

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After attending IMTS, it's clear that the integration of advanced technologies is ready to enhance precision, efficiency and automation in mold manufacturing processes. It’s a massive event, so here’s a glimpse of what the MMT team experienced firsthand.

The other type of bearings sometimes used in spindles includes taper roller or cylindrical roller bearings. The roller (or cylindrical) bearings offer higher load carrying capacity and greater stiffness than ball bearings, and are used in spindles with specific rpm requirements and applications. Oftentimes, the spindle manufacturer will use both types in different parts of the spindle — dependent upon the type of load the bearing must counteract.

Another type of spindle is the built-in motorized spindle that literally has the motor built into the spindle. These spindles are generally used when higher spindle speeds (in excess of 16,000) are required. These spindles are more costly compared to the belt spindles.

Join this webinar where Hexagon will explore how state-of-the-art CAD/CAM technology can drive your business forward. Learn how to optimize tool paths, enhance design accuracy and reduce lead times with advanced simulation. Discover the power of automation and real-time data for continuous improvement. Tailored for mold and die manufacturers, this session offers actionable insights to boost productivity and quality. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a competitive edge in progressive die manufacturing. Agenda:  Key challenges in progressive die manufacturing Optimizing tool paths Enhancing mold and die design accuracy Reducing lead times with simulation Automating processes for greater efficiency Leveraging real-time data for continuous improvement

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At first blush, it might appear that the actual spindle doesn’t do much on a VMC — the tool cuts the metal, the table moves, the motion control system controls the precision and movement and the software does the rest. The spindle is nothing more than a motor that lets a tool be attached to it and takes commands from a servo.

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The power you need depends upon the stock you’re cutting. Obviously torque, speed and horsepower are important specs to evaluate when you’re getting ready to purchase a vertical machining center (VMC), but there are a few other considerations that will be critical to the overall performance of your spindle and your overall satisfaction with the investment you make when purchasing a CNC VMC. Because many integral parts of the spindle are buried within it, finding out what you need to know requires preparation, research and asking the right questions.

Alba Enterprises created a mold base to match the needs and pacing of product iteration using mold tooling made via additive manufacturing.

Quality components not only determine longevity of the spindle, they determine how the spindle handles speed, torque and vibration. When you start to research spindle technology, you find the bearing system is often at the center of the discussion. It can get mind boggling, especially with the acronyms flowing freely — dN value benchmarks and formulas, O or DB mounting versus DF or X configuration, ABEC standards and so on. An overview of key considerations when researching a CNC machining center’s bearing system covers the highlights — material, type, arrangement and lubrication.

Belted spindles are usually preferred at shops that need a large amount of torque. Those shops shy away from CNC machines with direct drive spindles for fear of losing torque. When Hurco introduced new models to its VMXi 3-Axis CNC Machine Series designated as the VMXDi (with the D denoting a direct drive spindle), those of us that don’t have engineering degrees learned something new: most shops can get all of the benefits of a direct drive spindle without sacrificing torque.

Join MoldMaking Technology Editorial Director Christina Fuges as she discovers the benefits of eLearning, including promoting sustainability in moldmaking by reducing travel, minimizing waste and enhancing global workforce accessibility.

Everyone knows the importance of the basic spindle specs when you purchase a CNC machining center: max spindle speed, peak spindle motor horsepower and max spindle motor torque.