[BAMCNC.COM]

I don't have a fancy DB mic, and the phone used to measure was an "iphone" which I don't even like in my house.

No Matter, numbers aside. the noise from the day I bought my Tormach, to today is INCREDIBLY different and pleasant now. Maybe I started with a Lemon?

[popspipes]

My compressor is another story, makes one appreciate the quietness of the Tormach.

5 hp compressor at 6 feet is 94 db, now thats noisy!!

[tmarks11]

If you had a new machine this mod would give you the lower sound and vibration hands down. They can't "apply" the bearing change mod, however they can sell an electric fan kit. No matter what, with no fan, you will have less vibration and less sound.

I seem to remember a thread talking about how somewhere along the line, Tormach modified the fan in the motor to better balance it. So maybe your mod doesn't necessarily apply to new machines? I will have to pull off the fan cover and take a look at mine.

My recollection is that the original fan had a bolt as a set-screw holding it to the shaft, and the bolt head did bad things to the balance.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I don't have a fancy DB mic, and the phone used to measure was an "iphone" which I don't even like in my house.

No Matter, numbers aside. the noise from the day I bought my Tormach, to today is INCREDIBLY different and pleasant now. Maybe I started with a Lemon?

These machines always need some time to "break in". My Torus Pro was also noisy when I first got it, and had some vibration at some speeds. After just a few days, it quieted down, and it's now nice and smooth and quiet. In the case of the Torus Pro, most of the initial noise and vibration seemed to be the HUGE timing belt in the head. But, even a V-belt will quiet down after some use, as it wears to better fit the pulleys, and becomes more flexible. It's now quieter at 6000 RPM than it is at lower speeds. The noise also varies a lot based on the VFD being used. Being an alpha tester, I've had quite a few different VFDs on my machine, and each has its own unique sound. Never a problem with fan noise, since the machine comes with a nice, quiet electric fan.

Regards,
Ray L.

[mountaindew]

Improve accuracy and finish ???

NO ???????

And I will buy your mesa card, BAM. pm me price!

[mactec54]

Maybe you have bad spindle MOTOR bearings? Take a look at how Tormach China balances their rotors... https://instagram.com/p/6YHUOkFUPC

The Chinese must of copied how most American motor manufactures balance their motors, they use the same method, the photos are of a major US manufacturer, most low speed motors are balanced this way, this could've been a little neater in the way your was done, so those bashing the way Chinese rotors are made, have not, ever seen a US made one, I have rebuilt hundreds & most balance them this way

[tmarks11]

Never a problem with fan noise, since the machine comes with a nice, quiet electric fan.

Do you have a picture of that? I would be interested to see how they implemented it. If I had a 3D printer, I would print a cowling to mount a muffin fan in to replace the existing fan and cowling. I have a very nice 120V muffin fan that is about the perfect size.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Do you have a picture of that? I would be interested to see how they implemented it. If I had a 3D printer, I would print a cowling to mount a muffin fan in to replace the existing fan and cowling. I have a very nice 120V muffin fan that is about the perfect size.

It is a large (~5" diameter?) 220V muffin fan, mounted above the air intake on the top of the motor, with a very simple spot-welded cylindrical sheet-metal housing that fits snugly over the end of the motor.

Regards,
Ray L.

[BAMCNC.COM]

NO ???????

And I will buy your mesa card, BAM. pm me price!

$60? I think I had to modify the bracket that holds it to fit the PC it went into.

The Chinese must of copied how most American motor manufactures balance their motors, they use the same method, the photos are of a major US manufacturer, most low speed motors are balanced this way, this could've been a little neater in the way your was done, so those bashing the way Chinese rotors are made, have not, ever seen a US made one, I have rebuilt hundreds & most balance them this way

I've only rebuilt around 1000 motors, but they were GE motors and I don't know the origin. (From GE 1.5 MW Wind Turbines) They had holes drill in them if I remember right.

My compressor is another story, makes one appreciate the quietness of the Tormach.

5 hp compressor at 6 feet is 94 db, now thats noisy!!

Put a Diesel Fuel filter on your intake, you will notice less noise, and less water in your tank. I have a video on it.

I seem to remember a thread talking about how somewhere along the line, Tormach modified the fan in the motor to better balance it. So maybe your mod doesn't necessarily apply to new machines? I will have to pull off the fan cover and take a look at mine.

My recollection is that the original fan had a bolt as a set-screw holding it to the shaft, and the bolt head did bad things to the balance.

I have the better Tormach "self balancing fan" and it looks like a Chinese kid made it with a pair of scissors. It's posted on CNCZone in the "Finish" thread I believe.

----

It wont' let me quote more than this.. so RAY, You are just backing up what I have said. The 67DB is the LOUDEST this will be, it gets quieter everyday.

[BAMCNC.COM]

Just installed the fenner belt, when new it was 69db, and sounded terrible. Took it off and put back on my old Mitsubishi belt and now we are at 64-65db. Things are breaking in, I LOVE it!!!

[Concepts_Design]

how have people that have done the electric fan mod wire the fan? Do you wire it into the panel some how, or just simply give it it's own power and switch?

[popspipes]

how have people that have done the electric fan mod wire the fan? Do you wire it into the panel some how, or just simply give it it's own power and switch?

In my case the spindle nut (PDB) and motor fan balance was the key issues in reducing noise, this also greatly improves finish.

The Fenner belt was noisy when it was new.

I can talk on the phone now while the machine runs at max rpm, couldnt do that when the machine was new.

[Mooser]

how have people that have done the electric fan mod wire the fan? Do you wire it into the panel some how, or just simply give it it's own power and switch?

Anyone ?? Is there a switched supply that maybe comes on with the spindle power (not spindle turning) ??
M

[tmarks11]

Anyone ?? Is there a switched supply that maybe comes on with the spindle power (not spindle turning) ??

On the VFD, put a 24VDC relay from connections T1 and B3. B3 will have 24vDC on it whenever the spindle is moving, so the relay will be powered as long as the spindle is turning. You can use that relay to turn on and off the spindle fan (don't try to power a 24V fan directly off of the B3 terminal... bad things will happen).

These are the same terminals that the ATC uses as an interlock to prevent tool change to a moving spindle. And the same terminals that some people have used to make a safety interlock to prevent dropping a tool with the PDB while the spindle is turning.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac...ml#post1459808

[popspipes]

PDB pushbutton safety

works exactly as stated and has here for a year or so. I put a 24 volt relay in series with the push button tool release, I dont have the tool changer.
This has saved many tools and aggravation here.

[Mooser]

I was originally thinking of something that would keep the fan running even without the spindle so that it can be pulling heat even during tool changes etc. (I have power toolbar but no tool changer) but this should be good anyway. now to find a way of getting wires back there (every once in a while I regret putting the machine tight into a corner....)
Thanks
M

[tmarks11]

I was originally thinking of something that would keep the fan running even without the spindle so that it can be pulling heat even during tool changes etc.

Get a 240V muffin fan and wire it directly (with an inline fuse) off the C2 contactor output. Any time the VFD is powered up, the fan will turn.

[Mooser]

Thanks, that's more along the lines of what I was thinking. Probably overkill but can't hurt
M

[MichaelHenry]

Sorry to resurrect a somewhat old thread, but Phil asked if anyone had collected noise data and I just did that with the Sound Meter app (by ABC Apps - https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ebasic.decibel) both with and without the fan. The results were:

With Without
Spindle, Fan, Fan,
rpm dB dB


2500 58 57
3000 62 60
3500 66 62
4000 70 59
4500 74 63
5000 75 64

This is on S/N 119 built in 2008 or so and is a Series I that has been electrically upgraded to a Series III running PathPilot. The fan was filthy and coated with oil and sawdust from a bout of wood milling a year ago or so. Before the test, I cleaned the fan and deburred the edges of the blades, many of which had sharp molding flash. I wish that I had measured the sound levels before cleaning and deburring the fan because it sounded quieter after that bit of maintenance. The readings are uncalibrated so probably only of comparative value withing this data set.

The motor was quite quiet without the belt and fan, which probably makes sense. I'm inclined to install a 220 VAC fan just because it is inexpensive and pretty easy to do but am not sure if I want to go to the trouble of balancing the pulleys or drawbar nut until I see how the fan affects things. As it is now, I'm reluctant to mill at higher than 3500 or 4000 rpm spindle speed because the noise doesn't sound good, but that was with a dirty fan.

[philbur]

Sorry to resurrect a somewhat old thread, but Phil asked if anyone had collected noise data.

Thanks for that Michael, It will be interesting to see the result if/when you fit the electric fan.

I'm reluctant to mill at higher than 3500 or 4000 rpm spindle speed because the noise doesn't sound good, but that was with a dirty fan.

I use ear defenders most of the time, they have the added advantage that any crashes are not nearly so bad.

I did a subjective noise test of mine at the time of the previous post and it was clear that the motor fan was a major contributor. It was at this time that I figured ear defenders were the quickest fix.

Phil