Re: get tormachs $2100 4th axis for $700
Originally Posted by
Windscreen
The only thing, at present, that would scare me from a servo is whether or not this table can take the heat that the speed of a servo would inevitably create in the worm drive's friction
Just because it has a servo doesnt mean it rotates any more than if you did it with a stepper. Look, this isn't like a 54" table that you are running 700ipm G00 (servo) instead of 110 ipm (stepper). The most you will ever index this thing between cuts is 1 revolution. While you are cutting, the speed of rotation will be the same regardless if you are using stepper or servos.
The gearbox is oil filed, so the movement of the oil shoud help spread the heat. I don't see a real advantage to using servos unless the system you are hooking up to has servos, but I can't see that it will create any problems.
The gearbox on this is 72:1, IIRC. If you actually need faster continuous rotation an you probably shoud be looking for a direct drive table.
For fluting a barrel, you get maybe one helical rotation of that flute every 6"? it you were cutting the flute with a ball nose endmill at 20 ipm, than you need the table turning at least 2 rpm, which you could do with the worm drive.
Tim
Tormach 1100-3, Grizzly G0709 lathe, Clausing 8520 mill, SolidWorks, HSMWorks.