Someone is selling a somewhat used spindle that sold by nextwave. Similar if not exactly same as the one I linked below. The VFD is pre programmed to work with nextwave machines. Is it difficult to modify it to work on my Journeyman model? If not is there a tutorial available? Thanks
https://www.nextwavecnc.com/shop/3HP-WATER-COOLED-SPINDLE-KIT-p422594475
Hey Jussi. I’m no expert, but a few considerations.
Are you getting the whole kit with cables, water pump, etc or just spindle? If it’s the whole kit, I’d make sure you’re getting enough value to prefer it over a new PWNCNC kit which a number of people enjoy and can come programmed for the OF controller.
As far as I understand it, pretty much any VFD can be programmed to communicate with the OF controller. The one in the photo looks like the common Huanyang VFD, but you’d want to check that. I believe this is still the list of VFDs you can pick from the Tool tab in the OF controller and the Modbus communication between controller and VFD will be automatically populated.
If the VFD is not in the list, you can still program the Modbus communication as a “Custom Modbus VFD,” but you’d have to figure that out or get help. This post and likely others might give you an idea of what’s involved.
As far as programming the other parameters in the VFD for use with the spindle, if it is a working combination between spindle and VFD, you should be pretty much ready to go, but either way you’d want to get a hold of the VFD manual to understand the basic parameters, and see if there are other parameters you’d like to make use of/modify.
There are others in the forum who are more knowlegeable and can maybe give you some more specifics. Good luck!
Hey Jussi,
they don’t say the spindle diameter, or did I miss that? The diameters that will work on the Onefinity are 65 mm, or 80 mm with 80 mm spindle mount. Unfortunately the spindle clamp that is shown cannot be used on the Onefinity, except if you replace the entire Z assembly with an Universal Z assembly.
Thanks for the advice. Yes I’ll be getting the whole kit. Aiph5u I actually bought the spindle mount from 1F when I initially ordered my journeyman knowing I would eventually want to upgrade to a 80mm spindle.
So assuming the VFD and spindle is wired to work with one another do I just need to configure the controller to communicate with the VFD? No other hardware needed?
Hey Jussi,
the communication between VFD and CNC Controller is done this way. This means that when your g-code program contains a “start spindle” and a “set speed to x” command, the VFD will execute it.
Of course you can do a lot of additional wiring as is common in entire CNC machine setups. One thing that the VFD usually takes care to switch on and off is of course the spindle water coolant (and to continue to let it run for a while after the spindle was stopped), and to turn on and off the dust collection.
Also usually on a CNC machine setup, you have an emergency wiring. This takes care that a problem on one component signals this to the other components which can then take measures.
A VFD is a device intended to be installed in an electrical cabinet, that can also take all other accessories like relays etc. See here and here for more information.