VFD Power question for electrical peoples...

[raceneer]

My 1.5kw spindle mills and drills aluminum just fine. Are you using a feed and speed calculator like GWizard or FSWizard to determine your settings or just winging it?

Really? So your 1.5kw spindle drills with a 12mm bit at 2000 rpm in aluminum no problem?? I'd love to see that. Yes I use a calculator thats in built into my cam package. It works well, but I'm using HSM tool paths and 10mm DOC at 4000mm/min odd. What machine you running? You'd be surprised I can get away with it even on this machine when the planets align!

I think the thing to remember here is that I don't think there is anything wrong with the spindle per-se, more just the spindle is under powered and impractical for the machines design and as you say, am probably abusing it. (Don't judge me) - Which I think you were right with earlier. I was looking at options and found the following speaking to a company that manufactures these spindles...

A 2.2kw, 24000rpm High speed 80mm chinese spindle at maximum power makes just under 3nm of torque at max RPM.
A High torque 2.2kw, 8000RPM spindle with a 3.7kw VFD will pull 6nm at max rpm. (DOUBLE!) So if your looking at getting a router (6090 etc) Folks... get that one!
He also suggested constant torque spindles arent as constant torque as they say they are but they aren't bad.
I have since found a 3.5kw high torque spindle that pulls 12nm of torque (Awesome!) and runs off a 5.5kw VFD.
Cost around 1200 dollars, and will mill alloy with proper hsm toolpaths and full DOC till the cows come home. (Moo.)

In the interim I would love to boost my available horsepower, but i'll look into the VFD errors or limits as you were suggesting.