DESIGN OF SPINDLE

ME6202 3 credits [3-0-0]

Dr C K Biswas
Prof., Dept of ME

MTT
 CONTENT

• Functions of Spindle
• Design of Spindle
• Deflection of Spindle Axis due to Bending
• Deflection of Spindle Axis due to Compliance of Spindle Supports
• Deflection due to Compliance of the Tapered Joint
• Permissible Deflection and Design for Stiffness
 FUNCTION OF THE SPINDLE
The spindle is one of the most important elements of the machine tool.
The functions of the spindle of machine tool are as follows :
i. It clamps the workpiece or cutting tool in such a way that the
workpiece or cutting tool is reliably held in position during the
machining operation.
ii. It imparts rotary motion or rotary cum translatory motion to the
cutting tool or workpiece.
iii. It is used for centering the cutting tool in drilling machine, milling
machine, etc. while it centers the workpiece in lathes, turrets, boring
machine, etc.
 REQUIREMENTS OF SPINDLE
a) The spindle should rotate with high degree of accuracy.
• The accuracy of rotation is calculated by the axial and radial run out of the
spindle nose.
• The radial and axial run out of the spindle nose should not exceed certain
permissible values. These values depend upon the required machining
accuracy.
• The rotational accuracy is influenced mainly by the stiffness and accuracy of
the spindle bearings especially by the bearing which is located at the front
end.

b) The spindle unit must have high dynamic stiffness and damping.
c) The spindle bearing should be selected in such a way that the initial
accuracy of the unit should be maintained during the service life of the
machine tool.
 REQUIREMENTS OF SPINDLE (CONTD)
d) Spindle unit should have fixture which provides quick and reliable
centering and clamping of the cutting tool or workpiece.
e) The spindle unit must have high static stiffness. Maximum accuracy is
influenced by the bending, axial as well as torsional stiffness.
f) The wear resistance of mating surface should be as high as possible.
g) Deformation of the spindle due to heat transmitted to it by workpiece,
cutting tool, bearings etc. should be as low as possible. Otherwise it
will affect the accuracy of the machining accuracy.
 MATERIAL OF SPINDLE
• For normal accuracy, plain carbon steel, C45, C59 hardened and
tempered to Rc =30
• For better than normal accuracy, low alloy steel 40 Cr 1 Mn 60 Si 27 Ni
25, C 50 Cr 1 Mn 60 Si 27 Ni 25; hardened Rc = 55 – 60
• For precision accuracy, low alloy steel 20 Cr 1 Mn 60 Si 27 Ni 25, C 38
Cr 1 Al 90 Mn 45 Si 27 Ni 25 Mo 20 nitride to Rc 63-68
• For heavy duty spindle, grey cast iron, spheroidal graphite iron
 DESIGN OF SPINDLE

A spindle represents a shaft with

(a) length ‘a’ which is acted upon by driving force F2, and
(b) cantilever of length ‘m’ acted upon by external force F1.
The spindle is basically designed for bending stiffness which requires that
maximum deflection of spindle nose should not exceed a pre-specified value,
 DESIGN OF SPINDLE
The total deflection of spindle nose is due to:
1. Deflection of the spindle axis due to bending forces F1 and F2
2. Deflection of the spindle axis due to compliance of the spindle supports.
3. Deflection of the center or cutting tool due to compliance of the tapered
joint. This happens when the spindle has tapered hole in which a center
or cutting tool is mounted, the total deflection of the center or cutting
tool
 DEFLECTION OF SPINDLE AXIS
DUE TO BENDING
(a) shows schematic
diagram of spindle.

(b) depicts the design

diagram of the spindle

assumptions
(c) illustrates deflected
a) If the spindle is supported on a single anti-friction bearing at each end, it may be represented
axis of the spindle.
as a simply supported beam, and

b) If the spindle is supported in a sleeve bearing, the supported journal is analyzed as a beam on
an elastic foundation; for the purpose of the design diagram the sleeve bearing is replaced by
a simple hinged support and a reactive moment Mr acting at the middle of the sleeve bearing.
 DEFLECTION DUE TO BENDING
The reactive moment is given as :
where M = bending moment at the support, and
C = constant = 0 for small loads and 0.3 to 0.35 for heavy load.

The deflection at the free end of the beam (spindle nose) can be determined
by Macaulay’s method and is

where E = Young’s modulus of the spindle material.

= average moment of inertia of the spindle section.
 DEFLECTION OF SPINDLE AXIS DUE TO
COMPLIANCE OF SPINDLE SUPPORTS

the spindle deflects are

δE = the displacement of the rear support
δG = the displacement of the front support
From similarity of triangles OHH’ and OGG’
or
From similarity of triangles OEE’ and OGG’, we get
displacement of the
or front bearing has
greater influence upon
So, deflection of spindle
nose than that of the
rear bearing
DEFLECTION DUE TO COMPLIANCE

At equilibrium,

Or
Similarly ,

Or
 DEFLECTION DUE TO COMPLIANCE
Displacement and
Where and are the support reactions at E and G respectively.
and are stiffness at E and G respectively.

Deflection
 TOTAL DEFLECTION OF SPINDLE

If there is NO deflection due tapered joint then,

Total Deflection
 DEFLECTION DUE TO COMPLIANCE TAPERED
JOINT

The spindle ends of most machine

tools have a tapered hole for
accommodating a center (in lathe) or
cutting tool shanks (in milling and
drilling machine).

The deflection of center or shank at a distance d from the spindle axis where the
force F is acting is given by equation :

where Δ = displacement of the shank or center at the edge of taper due to contact
compliance, and
𝛷 = angle of slope of the shank or at the edge of taper.
 COMPLIANCE TAPERED JOINT
If manufacturing the errors of the taper are ignored, Δ and 𝛷 can be calculated
from following equations :

m

where = coefficients of contact compliance (= 0.02 m-)

= coefficients that account for the diameter variation along the length of taper.
(= 1.35 and = 1 for 7:24 taper)

D = average dia of the taper

 COMPLIANCE TAPERED JOINT
Generally, displacement Δ due to contact compliance can be ignored in comparison with
the displacement due to bending of the shank or center.

Hence, m
The term is neglected bcos its small in comparison to the other term. Putting,
for 7:24 taper = 0.02 m-, = 1.35 and = 1

m
Stiffness of the 7:24 taper,
However, with slight manufacturing error (~1’), the stiffness reduces 10-15 times
 PERMISSIBLE DEFLECTION
The total deflection of the spindle nose can be determined

The permissible deflection of the spindle nose depends upon the machining
accuracy required for the machine tool. Generally, it should be less than one-
third of the maximum permissible tolerance on radial run out of the spindle
nose.
The machining accuracy depends upon the radial stiffness, axial and torsional
stiffness.
The axial displacement of the spindle unit consists of the axial deformation of
the spindle and the deformation of the spindle thrust bearing.
 TORSIONAL STIFFNESS
The torsional stiffness of machine tool spindles significantly influences the
machining accuracy in metal removal operations, such as gear and thread
cutting in which the feed and primary cutting motions are kinematically linked.
The torsional deformation of the spindle unit consists of the deformation of the
spindle and deformation of drive components.
The spindles are designed for stiffness, primarily radial.
However, in heavily loaded spindles the stiffness design must be proved by a
strength check against fatigue failure.

where f = factor of safety against fatigue failure.

= minimum value of safety factor (1.3 to 1.5)
 TORSIONAL & BENDING
If spindles are subjected to combined bending and torsion, the factor of safety f is
determined from the equation

Where = ratio of the internal dia to the external

= internal diameter of the spindle, mm
= external diameter of the spindle, mm
= Endurance limit of the spindle material, N/mm2
= mean value of the bending moment acting on the spindle, N-mm
T = mean value of the torque acting on the spindle, N-mm
 TORSIONAL & BENDING
k = coefficient that accounts for variation of bending moment and stress
concentration.
b = coefficient that accounts for variation of torque and stress concentration.
Coefficient k can be determined from the following expression :

Where
= dynamic stress concentration coefficient for normal stresses (= 1.7 to 2.0)
= ratio of amplitude of the bending moment to its average value.
 TORSIONAL & BENDING
Coefficient b can be calculated from the following formula :

where = yield stress of the spindle material.

= dynamic stress concentration coefficient for shearing stress (=1.7 to 2.0)
= ratio of amplitude of torque to its average value.
The values of Q and generally depend upon the machining conditions.
For example, in a super-finishing operation there is virtually no variation of the
bending moment and torque,
i.e. = = 0 and therefore Q = = 0.
 EXAMPLE
The outer dia of the spindle = 100 mm and inner dia of a hollow lathe spindle
if their ratio = 2. The power on the spindle is 4.5 kW and its is rotating at 720
RPM. The peripheral force on the spindle is = 78 kgf. A vertical force = 60
kgf are acting on the spindle nose. The spindle dimensions and the loading
are shown is given in the Figure below, Determine the deflection of the
spindle nose.
 SOLUTION EXAMPLE
=764 14.11=
=59.6 =588

The torque transmitted T = 4.5 * 9.5488/720 N-m = 59.625 N-m

bending moment at the support M = 60 * 9.8 * 0.08 = 47 N-m
Assuming constant C = 0.3, the reactive moment
N-m
Moment of inertia, N-m2
So, the deflection at the free end of the spindle nose due to bending

m
 SOLUTION EXAMPLE
=764 14.11=
=0.06 =588

Deflection due compliance of support

Now, = 170 N/m and = 170 N/m

So, m