Need help identifying Fadal spindle BT 40 or CAT 40?

Just received a 1996 Fadal 4020 that was purchased at auction, advertised as having a CAT-40 spindle. We also bought a ton of CAT 40 tooling at the same auction. Working on getting the machine placed, levelled and connected to power, but while moving it I had to remove the pendant. Inside the pendant I found a build sheet that indicates that the spindle was ordered with a BT-40 taper. There is a pull stud placard on the column that shows the dimensions for both Cat-40 and BT-40 pull studs. I have no idea if the spindle is original, or if it has been changed and am trying to figure out if it's BT-40 or CAT-40.

I suppose that once I figure out how to unlock the cover on the toolchanger, I can look at the grippers to see what style they are, but are there features of the drive dogs on the spindle that will tell me the spindle style?

Don't know FadaL, but the drive dogs on the spindle face on a CAT spindle are asymmetrical. One longer than the other so the tool holder really only fits in one orientation. (holder slots are different depths to match)
BT drive dogs are the same length as are the depth of the slots in the holders.
Cheers Ross

Thanks Ross.
That should make it obvious.
Martin

AlfaGTA said:

Don't know FadaL, but the drive dogs on the spindle face on a CAT spindle are asymmetrical. One longer than the other so the tool holder really only fits in one orientation. (holder slots are different depths to match)
BT drive dogs are the same length as are the depth of the slots in the holders.
Cheers Ross

Click to expand...

FWIW Haas CAT spindles use symmetric drive dogs. I don't know if Fadal followed suite.

Milland said:

FWIW Haas CAT spindles use symmetric drive dogs. I don't know if Fadal followed suite.

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Symmetrical.

Cat or BT, as far as I know, the spindle is the same. The only thing that changes is V groove height.

That can be either moved by rotating the encoder, or I've also heard, unbolt the carousel disc, and flip it over to get the height change.

That is spectacular news - thanks Bob.
With almost 300 toolholders in hand, I was considering changing the spindle if it was incompatible.

Knowing this, it feels like there is a very high likelihood that the tooling will work as-is in the machine because it came from the same facility, but I want to proceed with due caution rather than making unwise assumptions.

I've seen a couple of videos on YouTube about setting the toolchange height, and will head down that path.
Thanks,
Martin

Bobw said:

Symmetrical.

Cat or BT, as far as I know, the spindle is the same. The only thing that changes is V groove height.

That can be either moved by rotating the encoder, or I've also heard, unbolt the carousel disc, and flip it over to get the height change.

Click to expand...

Also, one more tidbit- Cat pull studs are English threads where as BT pull studs are metric. Probably does not matter in your case, but. . . .