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Category: Spindle Repair

  • Avoiding Spindle Failure by Understanding Vibration Analysis Thresholds

    We know that small interruptions to productive work time are a hassle that nobody wants. That is why we often find that customers will ignore the alarm notifications when vibration testing is performed on their machinery.

    Frankly, we do understand the impulse. Why pull a machine out of service when everything seems, at face value, to be operating properly? The answer is that if an alarm was triggered, things are not, in fact, operating properly. In reality, bearing frequencies are far outside our hearing range. When bearings start degrading, you won’t hear it or feel it anything out of the norm. Further, once you can hear or feel the vibration, it’s too late. The damage is done.

    The small pause now to correct the issue is going to save you huge costs down the road. The longer you ignore them, the greater the repair costs will be.

    Understanding the Thresholds and When to Take Action

    GTI Vibration Analysis DataWe’ve discussed unbalance before, and we will do it again in the future. This is because it is one of the biggest causes of issues in spindles, and one of the major reasons why our customers end up pulling spindles from the production line. Remember, it’s imbalance that induces impact, and slowly destroys the bearing over time. We still often see that many manufacturers will still ignore the early signs and run their spindles to failure, which is certainly not the most economical approach long term.

    When unbalance is detected and addressed earlier on — by properly setting and paying attention to threshold alarms on your preventative maintenance system’s vibration sensors, for example — it could have been quickly, easily, and, most importantly, cost-effectively corrected. Keep in mind that you don’t have to pull a spindle in order to correct the balance, it could be done right on the machine.

    Let’s look at the specifics. If you remove your spindle when vibration and acceleration levels hit the lower end of threshold values roughly 0.1 inches/second and 2.5 Gs respectively, you will most likely prevent extensive, costly damage. Repairs usually consist of bearing replacement and minimal grind-chrome plate-regrinding, if required at all.

    If removing the spindle when vibration levels are in the upper end of their thresholds, you still reduce the potential for extensive damage and repair. This usually consists of, but is not limited to, bearing replacement and limited grind-chrome plate-regrind.

    If you allow vibration and acceleration to build beyond their thresholds — 0.2 in/sec and 4 Gs — you’re looking at excessive and unnecessary damage. Repairs include, but are not limited to, bearing replacement, grind-chrome plate-regrind of shaft bearing journals and housing bores, and/or stator rewinds. All of which is completely avoidable.

    Three Approaches to Maintenance and Their Average Costs

    As you can see, catching issues early saves you time and money, both in terms of the ever-dreaded unplanned downtime, but also in overall maintenance costs.

    Of the three primary maintenance ideologies — predictive, preventative, and reactive — predictive has been found, time and again, to be the least expensive in terms of per horsepower maintenance costs.

    In fact, a study by ASME found that predictive maintenance bears an overall cost of $8/hp for industrial equipment, where reactive maintenance costs an average of $17/hp, more than 100% more. (Preventative maintenance came in roughly between the two, at $12/hp.)

    Bottom line is to make sure that you have a maintenance plan in place that avoids costly damage before it happens. We have the technology and the tools today to achieve this, but it does take time and commitment from operations and maintenance management and personnel. Think of it as an investment you make today that pays dividends in the long run. And remember, don’t hit that snooze button!

    At GTI Spindle, we do everything we can to get you working spindles at the lowest possible cost. That’s why every spindle that we receive is non-invasively tested for unbalance and other non-bearing related issues before any disassembly. If we confirm that unbalance (which is very often the case) or an alternate issue exists, we can save you from an unnecessarily hefty repair bill.

  • The Importance of Drawbar Maintenance

    Drawbars are the type of equipment component that are easy to not think about. Until something goes wrong with it, and you’re suddenly looking at considerable repair bills and potential downtime.

    In spindle applications, the toolholder does exactly that, holds the tool. Ironically, toolholders themselves have to be held. That’s where drawbars come into play. Put simply, drawbars are a rod that goes through the spindle shaft and draws the tool holder with the tool into the spindle shaft ID. In doing so, the drawbar exerts force on the toolholder itself, steadying it in the spindle. It’s essentially a clamping mechanism.

    The Impact of Misbehaving Drawbars

    Spindle Draw Bar MaintenanceFor such an overlookable part, drawbars can have an outsized impact on both your production and the health of your equipment.

    Almost every aspect of a drawbar, if even slightly off, can have near-immediate impacts on part quality. Some of the most common issues are:
    • Insufficient drawbar retention force
    • Gripper finger-to-retention knob contact quality
    • Knockout seal condition

    Aside from causing decreased consistency and quality of the components you produce, each of these issues can cause physical problems with your equipment as well. In particular, insufficient (or oversufficient) drawbar tension damage both your toolholder and tools. Damage can also result from poor contact between the drawbar’s gripper finger and the toolholder’s retention knob. And we all know about the headaches that contaminants introduced through a faulty seal can cause in high speed machine tools.

    Of course, issues that improper drawbar tension — and the lack of preventative maintenance that allows them to get into that state — don’t stop there. Other issues include:

    • Fretting (essentially microwelding) on the shaft taper
    • Bell mouthing of the shaft taper
    • Worsening repeatability issues
    • Overall reduction of tool and toolholder lifespan
    • Improper cutting pressure
    • Damaged locking assemblies
    • Damaged Belleville springs
    • Excessive rust and corrosion

    Drawbar Repair and Preventative Maintenance

    In a best-case scenario, neglecting your drawbar will result in slowly degrading part quality and eventual non-operation of your spindle. In a worst-case scenario, it can lead to catastrophic failure, with damage costs climbing into the five-figures (not including unplanned downtime) and can put your staff at serious risk.

    Luckily, preventative drawbar maintenance is rather simple and relies on checking the drawbar’s force regularly as follows:

    • Our recommendation is to inspect it about every 2 months with a drawbar force gauge.
    • The goal is to spot a decrease in strength before any noticeable issues arise. So, plot your data carefully and regularly, and pay close attention to changes. And remember, a trend is your friend!
    • Note that the proper force varies greatly from model to model, so please rely on the manufacturer’s specifications.
    • If the holding force of your drawbar approaches 90% of spec (a big drop in a low-holding force application), it’s time to repair or replace.

    It doesn’t take that much effort to do this. It’s worth it. A simple routine drawbar inspection will likely save you a lot of time, money and aggravation in the long run.

  • What is a Root Cause Failure Analysis? Why Should You Demand One?

    When a spindle of yours fails, do you simply send it out for repair without getting a full understanding of why it failed? If so, sure, you’re minimizing downtime in that exact moment — but without determining the cause of the failure and fixing that as well, you’re likely dooming the spindle to fail again and again. When all is said and done, it’s the notably more expensive option.

    Understanding the Cause(s) of Spindle Failure

    To avoid a constant cycle of failure and repair, it’s essential that you understand why your spindle failed in the first place. Fixing issues that damage your spindle will, naturally, extend your spindle’s life and reduce your repair bill. Additionally, a root cause failure analysis can help you:

    • Increase efficiency
    • Reduce unplanned downtime
    • Lower energy consumption
    • Conserve labor and other resources
    • Possibly avoid failure of the spindle that was put in service to replace the one that was pulled for repair

    Spindle Root Cause Failure Analysis Sample PageBut what exactly is a root cause failure analysis? It’s essentially a top-to-bottom report on your damaged spindle, including analysis of the spindle itself, its fault, and the equipment in which it was being used.

    At a reputable repair shop, the process starts with vibration analysis. At GTI, this is the first thing we do to every spindle that crosses our door. Often — at least once a month, without fail — our vibration analysis indicates that the spindle is perfectly healthy. When this happens, we work with the client to determine what in their setup caused the appearance of failure or part quality deviations/non-conformance where none existed. In scenarios like this, the most common culprits are unbalanced tool holders or low drawbar retention force.

    If vibration analysis does indicate that there is an issue with the spindle, the next step of a root cause failure analysis is disassembling the spindle and inspecting it, component-by-component. This step gives technicians a good idea of what caused the damage and ultimate failure of the spindle.

    The third step is, when applicable and practical, on-site inspections of the spindle-operating machinery. In the same way that improperly adjusted or operated machinery can cause a spindle to appear to malfunction, the same things can cause actual damage. For example: prematurely damaged bearings indicate a potential lubrication issue, which on-site inspection of the lubrication system can either confirm or rule out. Other issues that the on-site portion of a root cause failure analysis can uncover (that might be overlooked without it) include:

    • Malfunctioning chillers — Spindles can easily overheat, leading to deformation and damage, if delivered coolant is dirty or is not the correct temperature
    • Blocked air purge — A spindle’s air purge port helps maintain positive air pressure 0on the interior of the spindle assembly; without it, contaminates can enter the spindle and cause damage
    • Unbalanced tool holders and/or damaged tooling
    • Machine and/or operator/programmer induced overloads or impacts/crashes

    Then, last but not least, is the written report. All the information collected by a repair technician during a root cause failure analysis is useless if it is not shared with the maintenance team and operators.

    At many spindle service/repair shops, they skip an initial vibration analysis and go straight to disassembly — so you’ll be billed for that labor even if nothing is wrong with the spindle. If there is damage, they’ll repair it, box it up, and ship it back to you. You’ve got a functioning spindle, but no knowledge of why it broke in the first place.

    The GTI Difference

    GTI keeps you in the loop every step of the way. If our vibration analysis indicates a healthy spindle, we’ll contact you and arrange an onsite to avoid the cost of disassembly. If our evaluation indicates damage, we’ll help you identify its cause. And when we delivery your newly repaired spindle, we send a full report along with it.

  • The Importance of Spindle Lubrication and How to Do It

    For a piece of equipment that is designed to rotate at thousands of RPMs, it may seem obvious that proper lubrication is a major factor in the health of spindles.

    In practice, things are a bit different. While everyone knows that improper lubrication maintenance can lead to spindle failure, it can seem like a far-off possibility as opposed to a certainty. Plus, as a largely unseen aspect of spindle operation, lubrication is a little too easy to put out of mind. On top of that, there are factors such as downtime and cost that may lead some to shirk proper lubrication.

    No. The truth is that, despite its obvious importance, there are more people who neglect proper spindle lubrication than there are who don’t.

    Importance of Spindle Lubrication

    If you asked someone why spindle lubrication was important and they said “lubrication helps spindles spin,” that would be technically true — but it misses a lot of quite important nuance.

    The most important aspects of spindle operation — in terms of functionality, maximum speed; in terms of spindle health, operating temperature and vibration levels — all depend on proper lubrication. Neglecting lubrication will not only shorten the lives of your spindle’s bearings, but it will also reduce the quality of the products it produces.

    3 Basics of Spindle Lubrication

    Luckily, for properly motivated shop managers and owners, bare-bones spindle lubrication is fairly straightforward and can go quite a long way. There are three basic steps that, contrary to popular perception, can be easily and inexpensively administered.

    1) Lubrication Type
    You can’t take any old lubricant and put it into your spindle.

    Each spindle will have a specific type of lubricant, with exacting compatibility, viscosity, and even quality-threshold requirements. Lubricating your spindle with oil that doesn’t meet the proper requirements will hasten bearing wear. You also can’t safely reuse oil, even if it “looks clean” — if it’s been used, it already has microscopic scraps of metal in it that will wreak havoc on your bearings.

    You might save a few bucks switching to a lower-grade lubricant, but the costs of bearing failure will be much greater.

    2) Lubrication Amount
    From the repairs that come through our shop, it’s clear to us that the most common error in spindle lubrication is using an inappropriate amount of lubricant. Both too little and too much can cause issues, though using too little will lead to more serious problems, and more quickly.

    Common symptoms of too little lubricant are rolling element and raceway deterioration, and cage fragmentation — all of which will lead to outright bearing failure if not diagnosed and repaired.

    3) Lubrication Timing
    Applying too often can cause issues like leaks and actually hurt spindle performance. Applying too rarely leads to the same potentially catastrophic issues as using too little — element deterioration, cracking, fragmentation, and ultimate failure.

    Every spindle comes with both a lubrication schedule and service schedule. Follow them.

    A Few Extra Tips

    Those three steps are the absolute bare minimum. Spindle lubrication is far too complex a task to distill into a single blog. If you’ve read this far, chances are that you’re anxious to improve your lubrication practices. Using the right lubricant, the right amount of it, and at the right times are a solid foundation.

    Here are a few other things you can do to keep your spindles running smoothly between professional services (which we recommend annually):

    • Check lubricator hoses regularly for kinks and obstructions — if lubrication is not flowing freely, your bearings are suffering
    • Calibrate air pressure drop rates on drip systems regularly
    • Warm up your spindles if they’ve been idle for 12 or more hours — this is especially important for grease-lubricated spindles
    • Ensure all drainage holes face down
    • Seal all fittings — hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical — with sealant, not tape

      • Like the moving elements of any machine, spindle bearings will one day fail. But if you take care of them properly — especially in regards to lubrication — you will get a good, full life out of them.

      Not to mention you’ll avoid serious, costly equipment failure and unplanned downtime. While we understand that it may sometimes seem like it, the money you save now will not make up for those costs.

  • The True Costs of Neglecting Spindle Maintenance

    Unplanned downtime. It’s practically a boogeyman in industrial circles, and rightly so — every minute that your floor isn’t producing, it’s costing you money.

    The cost of unplanned downtime is bad enough, but it doesn’t stop there. If production grinds to a halt, the cost of your now unproductive staff adds up too. This doesn’t help with employee morale either. Not to mention unanticipated replacement or repair fees, and the other costs related to emergency maintenance.

    Then there are the downstream effects. When your equipment goes cold in the middle of fulfilling an order, you’re at risk of missing deadlines. This means unhappy customers. They are less likely to come back and, perhaps just as harmful to your business, less likely to recommend you to their peers.

    If this all sounds bad, that’s because it is. Unplanned downtime due to equipment failure carries a huge cost, in both time and money. And while we would never make light of the financial health of your business, the fact is that if you have unexpected equipment failure and your only cost can be measured downtime and repair costs, you’re frankly getting off lucky.

    Spindle Failure Worst Case Scenarios

    At a basic level, if a spindle on a piece of equipment fails, the repair could involve more than just spindle. When a spindle breaks, slides and ball screws, tools and tool holders, drive motors, chuck jaws and other related machine tool components are all at risk of serious damage. And each damaged component means more dollar signs added to your repair and replacement bills.

    Failing spindles also pose potential fire risks. Faults in the electric motors that power them can cause sparks, and the metal-to-metal contact caused by serious bearing failure can generate a tremendous amount of heat. That, plus highly flammable materials like wood, plastics, or titanium dust, is basically a recipe for serious fire.

    The simple fact is that if you neglected a spindle to the point that it failed mid-production, you’ve potentially created a weapon on your production floor. Tool holder retention in particular can lead to this. Spindles can spin at velocities as high as 150,000 rpm, which means tools and toolholders are unlikely to stay nicely contained in the machine when they fail or come loose — it could travel, putting your staff in immediate danger.

    Unplanned downtime is bad. We wouldn’t try to convince you otherwise. The costs are high and your all-important customer relationships are put at risk.

    But the fact is that these outcomes are, frankly, inconsequential when compared to a worse case scenario like hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment damage, a serious fire, or the very real possibility of serious injuries. All of which can be avoided.

  • Dos and Don’ts of Spindle Storage

    We have mentioned spindle storage in recent blogs and got a few questions about it, so we decided it was time to address the topic in a blog.

    Whenever a manufacturer runs a machine with spindles, they do — or definitely should — have a backup spindle on-hand. The backup is there so that the machine can still be run while the primary spindle is maintained or repaired, minimizing costly downtime. When that spindle returns, it becomes the spare and is kept on hand until needed.

    Repaired-Spindle-with-PlugsMost people, even those with good amounts of machining experience, are perfectly happy to keep those spare spindles on a nearby shelf. Rarely is a great deal of thought put into how or where they’re stored.

    The fact is, though, that how a spindle is stored can have a great deal of impact on its performance and lifespan.

    Spindle Storage Dos

    There are three main things that you want to do when storing your spindles.

    The first is to ensure that every single port and service hole is firmly plugged. Anything that finds ingress into a spindle — be it dust, moisture, metal shavings, or any other form of particulate contamination — can cause damage and will not be easy to remove.

    The second is to make sure that your spindle is wrapped very well in oil paper, with desiccants placed inside the wrapping. The same way that moisture is the enemy to the inside of your spindle, it’s the enemy to the exterior as well. Using desiccants will help wick away moisture. Using proper wrapping material and technique and block new moisture from getting in, minimizing the chances of rust development and other contamination.

    Oil-Paper-Wrapped-Repaired-SpindleA good spindle repair firm is going to deliver your spindles to you already plugged and wrapped. The third Do of spindle storage is entirely up to you — and that Do is to rotate your spare spindle’s shaft regularly.

    Leaving a spare spindle to sit completely idle is one of the worst things you can do. Over time gravity pushes down the ball bearings and displaces lubricant. This leads to direct metal-on-metal contact in the spindles bearings which, if left, will lead to microwelding. When a microwelded spindle is put into service, the ball bearings catch on those imperfections and greatly hasten wear. Microwelding leads to surface roughening, lubricant breakdown, loss of performance and ultimately, failure.

    Spindle Storage Don’ts

    We prefer to stay positive, but some aspects of proper spindle storage require you to avoid certain things, rather than take proactive actions.

    The first Don’t to spindle storage is do not store it anywhere that it can be subjected to excessive or sustained vibration. Though a spindle’s work naturally subjects it to vibrations, a static spindle is extremely vulnerable to those same forces. Vibrations transfer quickly and efficiently through a stationary spindle, causing damage to the metal. Worsening the effect is that lubrication tends to settle, leading to more direct metal-to-metal contact.

    The second Don’t is do not store in an environment that experiences large fluctuations in temperature. This is another largely lubricant-based consideration. When subjected to extreme or sudden shifts in temperature, the properties of the lubricant actually change. Repeating these stresses will lead to the lubricant degrading much quicker than normal. Further, when puting the spindle back into service, let it acclimate before flipping the switch.

    The ideal temperature range for spindle storage is between 65°F and 120°F. But again, stability is key — if your storage area regularly fluctuates between 70°F and 110°F, even though that is technically within the safe temperature range, the lubricant will degrade. Stable temperatures within the safe temperature range are ideal.

    That’s about all there is to it. If these all seem like common sense practices to you, good! That means you’ve been storing your spindles correctly. But for every one person who reads this and thinks “Obviously,” there are a few who never gave their spindle storage practices a second thought.

  • 4 Key Considerations When Buying a Used Spindle

    There are a number of reasons why, when shopping for a spindle, you may consider purchasing a used one. The most straightforward is cost — if budget is a concern, a used spindle could be a good decision. The rationale could be more complex, as well, including loyalty to a particular brand or even specific model.

    Whatever your reasons for shopping for a used spindle, there are a number of considerations you must keep in mind.

    1) Application

    Most spindle machinery can be used for a number of different applications, but that doesn’t mean that the stock spindle is ideally suited for all of them. If you’re looking to replace the spindle on a given piece of equipment, take some time to consider the actual jobs it has handled and might handle in the future. You may find that your uses have diverged from the spindle’s primarily designed purpose, and a different model might be better suited. Conversely, if you are processing steady work for a long term contract, you’ll need to make sure that the machine matches the specifications of the one you are replacing.

    2) Specifications

    This might seem like a no brainer, but a spindle’s specifications are among the most important considerations when shopping used.

    Used-Heald-Machining-SpindleSpindles are often referred to by their brand or manufacturers name (OEM) and model or part number. For example, a Heald 405 is a belt driven grinding wheel spindle, aka a wheelhead spindle. The problem is that number, 405, is only about a quarter of the full part number. The rest of the part number lays out things like required lubrication type, specific spindle design, mounting group, and more.

    You could ask a lot of spindle dealers for a Heald 405 and they’ll hand you the first one they see on their shelf, paying no attention to the rest of that particular spindle’s attributes. In a worst case scenario, this can lead to severe equipment damage, expensive repairs, and costly downtime.

    There are other specification factors to consider. For instance, tooling interfaces are not represented in part numbers, but they are obviously critical to get right. Spindles can also differ year by year, even within a model/part number. For that reason, it’s important to know the exact product information for the machine you’ll be using the spindle in, including the year it was built.

    When shopping for a used spindle, be extremely explicit about the model you need.

    3) Condition/What’s Included

    Finally, there’s the condition of the spindle to think about, as well as what comes along with the purchase.

    If you’re considering a spindle that needs rebuilding, for example, you should determine what work it needs and what those costs will be before making the purchase. Here’s a quick check checklist to help you evaluate the condition and the wisdom of the purchase:

    • Time since last use
    • Storage conditions, including rotation
    • Runout of the shaft
    • Taper condition of the shaft
    • Documentation, including manuals, testing reports, maintenance logs, etc.
    • Warranty inclusion; what are the terms?
    • Recourse in event of issue

    4) Source

    To keep your staff safe and your production up and running, it’s extremely important that you carefully vet your used spindle dealer. Not every spindle dealer operates with integrity. To use an old cliché — if a deal on a used spindle seems like it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

    Another sourcing consideration is whether you put your own time and energy into searching for a spindle, or hire an agent to help you. The same logic applies here: if an agent promises too much, or for too little, be suspect. If you are working with them for the first time, see if you can get some testimonials or talk to some of their customers.

    No matter what your reason for shopping for a used spindle is, if you keep these basic considerations in mind, you’ll end up making a good purchase.

  • Air Quality: The Overlooked Spindle Maintenance Variable

    Most conversations about spindle maintenance and repair revolve around lubrication.

    On its face, this makes sense: bearings are one of the most important parts of any CNC spindle, and bearings require lubrication to function properly. Failure to properly lubricate bearings will lead to equipment failure and all that that entails — repair costs, manufacturing downtime, and so on.

    In spindle repair circles, however, there’s something that we refer to as the silent killer of spindles, and it isn’t improper lubrication. We’ll give you a hint: drier is better.

    Proper Air Supply for Spindles

    Air CompressorThat’s right, air supply is a CNC spindle’s secret menace — or, rather, a contaminated air supply.

    What we have found is that, because so much emphasis is put on bearing health, other aspects of spindle health are talked about less often. This leads to those other issues becoming more prominent.

    This inverse relationship means that poor air quality, be it particulate contamination or elevated moisture content, is the leading cause of unexpected, premature spindle failure. In fact, air supply contamination actually accounts for about 80% of all spindle failures.

    Some of these air-related failures are caused by external contaminants, such as grinding swarf of coolant particles, but a larger number of them can be traced directly back to the spindle operator.

    A Case Study

    A Pennsylvania-based automotive parts manufacturer, running Bryant High Speed ID grinding spindles in 24/7 production, was experiencing a high failure rate — about 40 in 2016. They brought us on to diagnose the failures and lower their rates.

    We worked closely with them to track and trend their spindle failures, not just by spindle serial number but also by the machine tool serial number that the spindle was deployed in. What we found was that out of all their failures, 80% of them — exactly the industry average — were caused by a contaminated air supply. In particular, their air was too moist.

    We recommended that they install an air drier, specifically a three-cell drier that has 1/3 more capacity than their system requires: this way, a cell can be out of service for repair or cleaning at any time without impacting the drier’s performance.

    The manufacturer made our suggested air supply system updates and saw their failure rate plummet by 50%.

  • 3 Questions to Ask About Your Next Spindle Repair Warranty

    Spindle-Repair-WarrantyWhether you’re running a CNC mill, grinder, or lathe your machine’s spindle is a critical component, and daily operations subject it to tremendous pressures. These pressures all but ensure that your spindle will, at some point in its lifespan, require repair.

    For these reasons, we consider the warranty offered on a repaired spindle to be a key purchase factor. If you aren’t careful, you could often wind up in an unfavorable position, possibly spending way more money than you should over the long run.

    So, what makes a spindle repair warranty stand out from the rest? Here are our thoughts:

    How Long Does the Warranty Last?
    This one is pretty cut and dry. The longer the warranty period, the better. Many companies will warranty their work for 6 months, some as long as 12 months – twice the coverage!

    When Does Warranty Period Start?
    More important than how long a warranty lasts, is when the warranty actually begins.

    For many spindle OEMs and third party repair companies, the warranty becomes effective the moment the spindle leaves their shop. If you’re lucky, perhaps the warranty won’t kick in until delivery at your facility is confirmed. But the fact is, there’s a high likelihood that your newly repaired spindle is going to sit around at your shop for a while before it gets reinstalled. Unfortunately, you’ll often find that your warranty has expired long before you have even used it.

    The gold standard for a warranty’s effective date is when the spindle is actually back in service. This way, the warranty is active during the spindle’s active lifespan, not while it sits on a shelf.

    Who’s Allowed to Install the Spindle?
    Another key factor to watch out for – installation clauses. Often, OEMs will include language specifying that installation by anyone but their own technicians automatically voids the warranty. This could lead to increased, and often unnecessary costs for customers — up to several thousand dollars. It can also add delays while waiting on technician availability.

    A fair and flexible spindle repair warranty shouldn’t have such limitations, instead allowing the client to choose their own installer, often a company employee, and timeframe.

    While repairing your spindle is often a better option than replacing it, you’ll need to smart about the warranty. Ask the questions we’ve outlined for you. Make sure you have a warranty that’s designed to work with you, and not cost you more down the road.

    We don’t care much for back-patting at GTI, but we are proud to offer one of the spindle repair industry’s most customer-centric warranties. The warranty features listed above — fair timeframes, logical effective dates, and full installation freedom — are the foundations of our standard spindle repair warranty.

  • 5 Ways to Increase the Lifespan of CNC Machine Spindles

    Increasing CNC Machine Spindle LifeFor manufacturers, the up-time and utilization of their CNC Machines is one of the most important performance indicators and has a huge impact on productivity and profits. Spindles are a critical component of a CNC machine and any issue that arises with this critical piece has the potential to seriously impact the speed at which the machine can complete jobs, or worse can bring the shop floor to a halt.

    1. Don’t Ignore Vibration

    Your machine operators must react quickly at the first sign of abnormal vibrations. This is a tell-tale sign that there is an issue with the overall condition of the spindle, or that there is an alignment issue that needs to be addressed. If your technicians notice this, or if your machine readings indicate that vibration levels are not normal then immediately cease usage of the machine and contact a qualified technician to inspect and repair the fault. Working with independent spindle repair companies with an expertise in vibration analysis is another great way to ensure you’re utilizing this valuable metric to its fullest.

    1. Review Temperature Readings

    Any increase beyond the normal operating temperature is an indicator that something is wrong. If this is the case, it is essential to stop the machine for inspection and maintenance. Common causes of spindle overheating include coolant component failure, improper lubrication levels, or component grinding. Make sure your technicians are familiar with the correct temperature guidelines for their specific brand of spindle and the exact operating conditions they are using it in.

    1. Utilize Sensor Data

    CNC Machine technology has come a long way over the years. Many modern machines are designed with sensor devices that can collect real-time data about machine performance as well as the condition and performance of specific components of the machine. This data can be used to predict when a failure is likely to occur and allow for a quick response by service technicians to ensure that any damage to the spindle and other key components are minimized. Utilizing third-party IoT enabled devices as part of a predictive maintenance plan is a great way to keep up to date on your machine’s overall health.

    1. Routinely Check Surface Finish

    By routinely checking the finish of machined parts you will glean insights into the overall health of your spindle and CNC machine. If you notice a degradation in the quality of the products’ finish, chatter, size fluctuations or a decrease in tool life, then this can indicate there is an issue with the spindle that needs to be investigated. Acting quickly will minimize the risk of causing further damage to the spindle.

    1. Optimizing Speeds

    Finding the right balance when it comes to production speeds can be challenging, but it also has one of the biggest impacts on the lifespan of your spindle. Manufacturers need to consider the benefit that increased production speed has on their outputs, but they should also consider the effect that it has on the overall cost of repairing the CNC machine, and the associated costs of downtime.

    To learn more about how you can extend your spindle life or to schedule a professional repair, contact GTI Spindle Technology today.

    About GTI Spindle Technology
    At GTI Spindle Technology, we specialize in high-quality spindle diagnosis and repair. Getting your business back into full operation and minimizing downtime is our mission. We offer in-house, on-site, and emergency assistance for machine tool spindle failure analysis, spindle repair, and complete spindle testing. With an extensive range and expertise in a diverse group of industries, our customers know that they are getting the highest quality of spindle repair and customer service. Click here to find out more.