Running two spindles on one drive?

[dingwall]

What are the possiblities of running an HSD spindle on the Z axis and another on the A axis and have them share a single drive?

i.e. rout power to one spindle, turn spindle on, run file, stop spindle, rout power to alternate spindle, turn alt spindle on, run file, turn alt spindle off etc.

[GlenP]

Are you running single phase or three phase?

[richards]

Sheldon,
Unless you do it properly, you'll risk frying the drive and possibly the spindle(s). If I were doing it, I would connect a multi-pole double-throw manual switch that has at least 2X the current carrying capacity of the spindles. (To know how many switch contacts 'multi-pole' equates to, you'll have to count the number of conductors going from your spindle to the spindle drive.) Now, this is the IMPORTANT point. I would turn off ALL power to the controller (including power to the spindle drive) before flipping the switch to change which spindle is connected to the drive.

(Personally, a VFD for a spindle doesn't cost enough for me to ever even comtemplate sharing a drive between two spindles.)

[dingwall]

Thanks guys. I think the message is pretty clear on this one.