05-27-2015, 10:52 PM
I'd never want to give up spindle power, but that's because I love to hog metal when I have the opportunity.
Two choices on power if you don't have 3-phase coming in, RPC or VFD. A rotary phase converter is steady speed, and your idler motor should be at least 50% bigger than the total of the motors you might power up off of it. I have a 15HP idler motor feeding up to about 10HP (2HP mill, 2HP surface grinder with 1/2HP dust collector and 1/8HP coolant motor, 5HP lathe with 1/4HP coolant motor.)
One motor on a single machine is an ideal candidate for a variable frequency drive. It only needs to be rated for the total it feeds, and gives you variable spindle speeds. That can wreak havoc on hydraulic pumps or feed motors though.
Two choices on power if you don't have 3-phase coming in, RPC or VFD. A rotary phase converter is steady speed, and your idler motor should be at least 50% bigger than the total of the motors you might power up off of it. I have a 15HP idler motor feeding up to about 10HP (2HP mill, 2HP surface grinder with 1/2HP dust collector and 1/8HP coolant motor, 5HP lathe with 1/4HP coolant motor.)
One motor on a single machine is an ideal candidate for a variable frequency drive. It only needs to be rated for the total it feeds, and gives you variable spindle speeds. That can wreak havoc on hydraulic pumps or feed motors though.