Spindle Router Upgrade

[Aiph5u (Aiph5u (not affiliated with Onefinity))]

Hey Alfie,

@Alf

Now that’s a relief … I remember using a phase converter many years ago…not the most reliable of units but it worked until i had 3 phase put in…
Alfie

VFDs are available both for single phase or three-phase input. Be sure to choose the right model. In Europe, we have 400 V three-phase available everywhere so this would allow smaller supply wires and fuses, but I have bought the single-phase input model which of course requires a thicker supply wire (at least 4 mm²) and fuse (30 A), but this is because I am still in an apartment with 1960ies electricity

Here is the nameplate of my VFD for a 2.2 kW spindle which shows input and output (this is single-phase 240 V AC input model):

@Aiph5u

The Omron MX2 (which I own) or Hitachi WJ200 VFDs (which are practically identical) are excellent VFDs used in the industry. They are very smart and state-of-the-art and not comparable to the cheap chinese VFD crap.

I would also always think of the Invertek Optidrive E-3 since it is produced in the UK (not only this means that it is not produced in China, but I think the UK manufacturers need our support more than ever). I pay € 283,71 here: Invertek ODE-3-220105-1F42. That’s a good price for a VFD with Sensorless Vector Control that is not made in China!

• How to set it up

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Hey Alfie,

@Echd

But to answer your question without all the other prattling… quite easy from a consumer perspective to install and hook up, and there are many spindle options that run the gamut in cost. And for a consumer level home gamer, even the cheap chinese ones work just fine.

regarding spindle and considering what @Echd said, I can say that one thing to consider is electrical safety of a setup, and setting up a spindle and a VFD, if not buying an industrial ready-to-use setup mentioned in my post here, is something that should be made by a certified electrician or that you should at least try to acquire partly that knowledge. It tried to provide a lot of information in this forum on building your own VFD enclosure, making a safe spindle cable or better buying one ready-to-use.

Many people here are very happy that @PwnCNC offers a more ready-to-use spindle and VFD kit than the cheap and unsafe chinese no-name kits, and it is the only one that Onefinity promotes. You may read about the experiences of the users of the PwnCNC spindle kit in considerably growing number of posts. But…

@Aiph5u

…I don’t know if the PwnCNC spindle is to be considered differently than the other cheap chinese spindles. What I know, is that there is not only a difference between industrial spindles and VFDs like I bought, and cheap chinese spindles and VFDs, but also between cheap chinese, and expensive chinese spindles. So, …

@Aiph5u

It is worthwhile to look at this direct comparison in terms of vibrations, between a cheap ebay spindle vs. a Jianken spindle (video) (shown is the Jianken JGL-100 2.5kw 24000rpm ATC with ISO 25 taper)

If you consider the Onefinity CNC, you also have to know that…

@Aiph5u

1. the stock stepper motor cables on both Elite and Original Series are not shielded (not usual on CNC machines in industry), and at same time…

2. a VFD is a heavy source of EMI…

So in addition to judge critically on the stock cabling on the Onefinity machines, generally you have to take care…

1. of the fact that a VFD is a device intended for installation in a grounded control cabinet that acts as faraday cage,

2. to select a suitable spindle power cable and to wire, shield and terminate the spindle cable correctly (for this, see also this important document)

3. that your entire CNC setup is properly grounded (see also materials and tools needed for this)?

…and that you have to pay shipping costs from Canada. We paid $650 to Germany for Original Series Journeyman ($325 for Woodworker) but with this it was sent using DHL Express and it was here within one week, which means this was an expensive shipping by air freight. We were not able to select a freight service on the order page though.