Hi all. This is Sami from Avid CNC and I have a quick Pro-tip video all about how
to run the Mach4 spindle warm-up program and why it's important. Okay, let's get started. Why
do we need a warm-up program for a spindle? Well, let's consider our favorite athletes or musicians.
They still need to take time to warm-up even though they're the best in the world.
They, like all of us and the spindle in this case, need to properly prepare in order to perform
at peak ability. So here is what the spindle warm-up program does. It helps distribute the oil evenly
and make sure that the spindle bearing lubrication is also spread evenly. It will warm up the
temperature of the spindle. The friction created is converted into heat and that heat creates
thermal expansion. To allow the machine maximum repeatability it's important to maintain a stable
temperature. The warm-up program allows the spindle to get up to that stable temperature before you
do any work on the machine that requires accurate repeatability. It's recommended to use this warm-up
procedure if your spindle has not been used for more than four to five hours. If you work in a
particularly cold environment consider running it more often if you haven't run it in a few hours.
Let's review the Mach4 spindle control window and its features.
First we have the current spindle override percentage.
This is the spindle override speed this will display
the actual speed of your spindle during an operation.
These are the units measuring your spindle speed in this case it's RPM or revolutions per minute.
This is the 100 button which will change the speed override percentage back to 100 percent.
The up arrow will increase the percentage by 25 percent.
If you click the down arrow this will decrease the percentage by 25. This is
the spindle on and off toggle button. This can be used to manually turn the spindle on and off.
It will also display the current seat of the spindle while a g-code program is running.
The VFD controller must be turned on in order for this toggle on and off button
to work. If you toggle the spindle on and off button but the spindle does not turn
on, double check that your VFD controller has been switched on. This is the spindle speed's 100% value.
This value cannot be changed while the g-code program is running.
And lastly this is our spindle warm-up button. It will start the warm-up procedure for the spindle.
All right, let's go ahead and run the spindle warm-up program.
Let's make sure that the area around the spindle is clear. You can run the spindle warm-up
program with the collet and nut installed if they're tightened down. Do not run the spindle
warm-up program with the tool installed. If there is a tool installed go ahead and remove that.
Let's turn on the VFD controller then click the spindle warm up button in Mach4 and we'll allow
this to cycle through the various RPM ranges to properly lubricate the spindle and bring it
up to the stable temperature. This operation should take only about four to five minutes.
Now you're ready to proceed with your CNC work.
Thanks y'all for watching, I can't wait to see what you make and we'll see you in the shop.