Colombo warm-up and cool-down procedure

[stargategfx]

There was virtually no documentation supplied with my 5hp Colombo spindle.
Can somebody give me the lowdown on the "proper" method re. rpm, time and procedures for both wam-up and cool-down?
Thanks if you can help.

[watswood]

Boyd,
Check this site:
http://www.pdscolombo.com/spindle_maintenance.htm

[chris_booth]

Boyd,

My Colombo documentation, which is for a 3hp (2.2Kw) model but appears to be written in a way that implies it applies to all models, says the following:

50% of the maximum label speed for 4 minutes
75% of the maximum label speed for 3 minutes
100% of the maximum label speed for 3 minutes

I found it confusing that there were two labels on the spindle, which were identical in most respects except where one says “Hz 300 n 18000” and the other says “Hz 400 n 24000”!

Then I found on the Delta (VFD-B) Drive nameplate that it says “Frequency Range: 0.1 – 400 Hz”, and I have assumed that means mine will do 24000rpm and the warm-up should be...

12000 rpm for 4 minutes
18000 rpm for 3 minutes and
24000 rpm for 3 minutes

But since I don't often use it much above 18000rpm, I tend to do the following:

10000 rpm for 5 minutes
half way between 10000 and planned use speed for 5 minutes, and full planned use speed for 5 minutes (typically 15000 to 18000).

In this way I have swapped 10 minutes warm up at higher speeds for 15 minutes at lower speeds that aren't faster than I'm going to use it.

I don't mind the longer time because there's always other things to prepare, whether its setting up and clamping etc. or running files in simulation mode or opening them in the editor to check speeds, safe Z, etc.

If anyone thinks my warm-up might not be good for the spindle I'd like to know!

The Colombo documentation says nothing about cool-down! I think the 10 minutes recommended in the link in Eugene's post seems ideal.