Hello, I just became a member of Shop Doc forum today, and I wish to find some information about some machining questions I have. I work as an operator of CNC machines when I can, so I try to keep up with the industry as much as possible.
I visit the various websites selling and advertising machines and notice that they usually have listed in the specifications the types of spindles that the machines have installed. They are always listed as a code number, such as
A2-6 or A2-8. This has me wondering how the spindles are measured, or identified. Can someone out there tell me how they are differentiated, measured or identified? I don't know the first thing about how to identify them. When I work on a vertical mill-drill, the boss usually just shows me the tool cart and tells me to use those tools. The holders look all the same to me; some may be larger or smaller than others. I see that the code is used for lathe spindles as well.
I appreciate any information someone can provide me on this issue. Remember, I'm just an operator, with little set-up experience. I've mounted tools in holders before and set them on the "Z" axis, and have used the edge finder for the "X" and "Y" axes, and have done some tool setting on lathes, but this spindle nomenclature has me stymied. Thanks for the help.
Silversteve
