Haas VF2 - Spindle Sound

[Juz]

Hi all,

This thread is more of a sanity check as we have just recently acquired a Haas VF2. This machine is immaculate and only has ~2500 hours on it but I have managed to work myself up to the conclusion that there is a problem with the spindle.

We just ran it yesterday for the first time, it ran a short program all day for 12 hours flawlessly however in the higher RPM's the spindle has a high pitch sound to it that I feel like I have not heard before from a machine running at a max of only 10k rpm. I know this machine runs some vector drive thing, thus it does not have a transmission. The spindle rotates perfectly smoothly by hand and on the aluminum parts we are running in it, it is doing a decent job. This is the first and only haas we have ever had so I am curious as to if someone could chime in regarding the high pitch sound.

I took a video with my one phone that isn't destroyed that has a decent microphone so the sound is almost exaggerated.

I am sure people will chime in and make the usual Haas jokes, haha, but if someone whom knows these machines could listen and give their .02 as to whether I should call in a tech or just run it, that would be sweel

 

[Milland]

That sounds typical to me, at least, as represented in the video. If the surface finish and accuracy of the parts is acceptable, I'd run it without worry.

 

[kustomizer]

It sounds about like mine, as said above run it. It does have air/oil mist you might check just for fun. On the back by the way oil there is a 5/16 or 3/8 plastic line with a way oil line hooked into it, take off the line and let the fitting blow onto a piece of paper for a bit to see if it has some, damn little, but some oil getting on it, the spindle has to be spinning to do this. If it is getting oil there isn't anything I know of you can do but run it till it quits anyhow.

 

[D.D.Machine]

sounds normal to me ,, run it for a few hours and pop the tool and stuff a finger in the hole ,,, it should feel warm but not hot …

 

[Milland]

see if it has some, damn little, but some oil getting on it, the spindle has to be spinning to do this. If it is getting oil there isn't anything I know of you can do but run it till it quits anyhow.

Good idea, but no need to pull the oil line. If the OP wipes down the spindle nose to housing area carefully, then runs the spindle for some time with coolant off and no other activity (say, at 1000rpm), then takes a clean, dry paper towel and wipes that area again there should be a trace of clean lubricating oil that will have bled from the bearings and onto the nose and housing.

You can run slower, but I'd suggest not much faster, you want to collect the oil, not fling it off the spindle nose.

If it's still totally dry after ~20 minutes I would investigate further to see if oil is flowing correctly.

 

[Juz]

Good idea, but no need to pull the oil line. If the OP wipes down the spindle nose to housing area carefully, then runs the spindle for some time with coolant off and no other activity (say, at 1000rpm), then takes a clean, dry paper towel and wipes that area again there should be a trace of clean lubricating oil that will have bled from the bearings and onto the nose and housing.

You can run slower, but I'd suggest not much faster, you want to collect the oil, not fling it off the spindle nose.

If it's still totally dry after ~20 minutes I would investigate further to see if oil is flowing correctly.

Thanks for the tip!

Had the machine running this evening, just went down into the shop and ran it at 1krpm for about 15 minutes after completely cleaning the snout. Afterwards there were indeed a few hanging drips collected on the snout. We havent run the machine long enough to refill the waylube yet, but it definitely seems to be slowly depleteing.

 

[Juz]

sounds normal to me ,, run it for a few hours and pop the tool and stuff a finger in the hole ,,, it should feel warm but not hot …

Right right, after consistent running its just slightly warm, felt up inside the taper.

The machine has a 002020 warm-up program in it which looks like a factory program, we have run that both days on start-up, after that program the spindle is a bit warm, maybe a bit warmer than when its running our little program we have on it now.

 

[Delw]

Right right, after consistent running its just slightly warm, felt up inside the taper.

The machine has a 002020 warm-up program in it which looks like a factory program, we have run that both days on start-up, after that program the spindle is a bit warm, maybe a bit warmer than when its running our little program we have on it now.

If its too warm to you, just run a coolant line on it. early Last year I kinda bumped my spindle. it got pretty warm so i ran a coolant line on the spindle case. havent had to replace it yet and at over 7k just for the spindle I'm going to run it till it blows or gives crappy finishes or sizes.
we run ours at 12k every day

 

[plastikdreams]

Normal Haas sound...run it! You'll know when there's a spindle issue starting, it will probably never happen so long as you don't crash the piss out of it lol.

 

[SIM]

I have 6 Haas mills from older than yours to new...sounds normal.