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2.2kW ER25 electric spindle from a "dachshund" type motor.

Anonymous  16 25035 Cool? (+18)
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TL;DR

  • Builds a DIY ER25 electric spindle from a 2.2 kW, 2800 rpm "dachshund" motor for a small universal milling machine.
  • Measures tool runout at 0.04 mm 20 mm from the nose and reports stable operation up to 50 Hz, with planned use up to 75 Hz.
  • Helps small mill owners and DIY machine builders who need usable torque at low speeds for aluminum and steel without buying a high-speed spindle that lacks low-speed torque.
  • Shows that a modified motor can be a practical spindle option when budget and torque matter more than maximum rpm.
  • Uses a wheel hub bearing from an Audi A3 instead of precision angular-contact bearings, so the design trades some ideal bearing choice and balancing for simpler, cheaper assembly.

Hello. I would like to present an electro-spindle made by me from a 2.2kW 2800rpm "dachshund" type engine.

The design was created for use in a small universal milling machine for machining aluminum and steel. I decided on my own design, because within the budget I would have to choose a liquid-cooled Chinese reaching 25 thousand rpm, but not having a sensible torque in the range below 4000 rpm, or Perske or Elte engines available on auction portals, which usually come from carpentry machines, so without modifications, the bearings are unlikely to be suitable for my milling machine, they cannot withstand larger axial loads.
The basis of the project is the STg90-2D engine produced by "Przymierza", with a capacity of 2.2kW at 2800rpm. Lamp holder with socket ER25 I used ready C25-ER25-50.
I was considering making the entire rotor shaft from scratch, however, to avoid a few hours of chip production, I decided to shorten the original 20mm shaft before mounting the front bearing and mount the new hub for the housing and the front bearing on it. Since the diameter of the motor shaft at the seat of the front bearing has the same as the shaft of the housing, the hub has a bore in the center with a diameter of 24.85 mm and is connected to the shaft and housing by thermal shrinkage. The hub bore and bearing mounting surface are machined from one flange, ensuring their concentricity. The hub is made of a steel piston rod with a diameter of 50mm.
When it comes to bearings, I made a compromise using a wheel hub bearing from the Audi A3 (40x74x40). I know I should use a pair of precision angular contact bearings, but the simplicity of assembly and price prevailed. Internal treadmills they are mounted on a hub with a sliding fit and tightened with a KM-8 nut. Original rear bearing, single row ball bearing. Virtually all radial and axial forces are absorbed by the front double-row angular contact bearing, the rear only works with a small radial load, guiding the rotor.

The front engine cover has a bore hole with a diameter of 84 mm in which the new bearing housing, made of steel (piece of forks from the carriage) centers on the lock. The bearing fits inside it with an interference fit of approx. 0.02mm and secured with a Seger ring.
Tool runout measured 20mm from the frame is 0.04mm and I don't know how much of my work in it, and how much of the "rice" frame itself.
The rotor was not balanced, but during operation up to 50 Hz it did not show any major vibrations. I assume work up to 75 Hz (up to approx. 4k rpm), so maybe it won't be a problem.
The entire spindle is attached to the axle with two M10x1.25 bolts from the front and one 10mm dowel from below. The photo shows the hydraulic Z axis from the SMC MXS25-100AS cylinder. From my own experience I know that such cylinders work without any problems with hydraulic fluid up to 3-4MPa. The integrated linear guide is quite stiff and the hydraulics ensure backlash-free operation. But this is already a piece of a separate topic about the milling machine ...

About Author
Anonymous wrote 16756976 posts with rating 39573 , helped 381 times. Been with us since 1978 year.

Comments

FoxTech 21 Jan 2017 18:26

An interesting project, but without access to a lathe, you can only read how others do it :( Has the spindle already passed a steel test? If so, I have a question, what would a colleague do differently... [Read more]

Anonymous 21 Jan 2017 19:32

I plan tests in a few weeks, because the rest of the milling machine is not finished yet, and I don't have much to mount it for. To be honest, you do not need any special machinery, but a lathe is... [Read more]

Krzysztof Kamienski 21 Jan 2017 19:41

2800 rpm as a milling spindle ?? Buddy, to the store for an inverter, and fast, with a higher output frequency. :cry: For which materials should this milling machine be used? [Read more]

Anonymous 21 Jan 2017 20:15

I know. I have a vector inverter up to 200 Hz. But above 100 Hz stairs will start with bearings and balance. Besides, for my applications I'm not going to chase it over 75-80Hz. For steel with a 10mm... [Read more]

Krzysztof Kamienski 21 Jan 2017 22:39

@ Art.B Yeah, a few years ago I was repairing a CNC machine from USA for regeneration of ball joints. While the x / y / z axis drives were "classic" (DC servo motors with encoders and trapezoidal screws),... [Read more]

ziomal156 21 Jan 2017 23:11

This is probably normal in electric spindles. Asynchronous and synchronous motors can have a maximum of 3 thousand revolutions at 50hz, you can not squeeze anymore because there is already one field per... [Read more]

Anonymous 22 Jan 2017 12:39

What are you headed for The fact that there are F1 cars does not mean that you should get rid of ordinary cars at all costs and switch to F1 :lol: There are thousands of non-CNC vertical milling machines... [Read more]

szymon122 23 Jan 2017 12:54

Out of curiosity I will ask why this engine is called a dachshund? [Read more]

wojtek1234321 23 Jan 2017 13:20

Because it is "thin" and long, that is, just like a dachshund ... :D :D :D [Read more]

robokop 23 Jan 2017 20:15

Due to the mechanical design - intended to be hidden under the countertop and set the saw directly on the rotor axis. The magnetic poles are narrow and long. I do not like the wheel hub bearing entirely... [Read more]

Anonymous 24 Jan 2017 06:12

As for the placenta, I am in no way defending my decision on non-economic grounds. From other budget options: 5208 even worse, no preload and even less rigidity, no integrated seals. Normal ball bearings... [Read more]

Martin_250 26 Jan 2017 06:06

A solution if it only fulfills its task, by all means approx. The question is, what acceptable working cycles have such dachshunds? [Read more]

Anonymous 26 Jan 2017 20:19

What is that question :D 100% full power, these are not toys, but engines for the industry. [Read more]

Wojtek7878 22 Mar 2017 10:59

Congratulations Art.B I would like to use your idea. I already bought the engine. You wrote that the hub had an internal diameter of 24.85mm, can you tell me what the shaft size was? or was it 24.85mm... [Read more]

Anonymous 23 Mar 2017 06:56

25.00mm shaft, just like the shaft of a frame. 0.15mm clamp. The entire hub heated with a burner to 450 ° C so as not to harden the surface behind the bearing, then mounting the hub on the rotor and the... [Read more]

Anonymous 04 Apr 2017 09:26

Unusual use of the spindle - live tool on an NC lathe. http://obrazki.elektroda.pl/7539671800_1491290748_thumb.jpg [Read more]

FAQ

TL;DR: DIY ER25 spindle delivers 0.04 mm run-out and “holds 100 % duty power” [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16216705][Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16230680] Built from a 2.2 kW, 2800 rpm STg90-2D “dachshund” motor driven up to 75 Hz (≈4 200 rpm).
Why it matters: It shows how to obtain low-speed torque and tool rigidity on a hobby budget.

Quick Facts

• Motor: 2.2 kW, 2800 rpm STg90-2D, IEC frame 90 mm [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16216705] • Max test frequency: 75 Hz ≈ 4 200 rpm before balance limits [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16217485] • Front bearing: Audi A3 hub 40 × 74 × 40 mm, Cdyn ≈ 44 kN, n_limit = 5 000 rpm [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16223385] • Tool run-out: 0.04 mm at 20 mm gauge length [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16216705] • Interference fit: 0.15 mm shrink-fit hub on 25 mm shaft, heated to 450 °C [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16365138]

Why choose a “dachshund” motor for a milling spindle?

The long, narrow body lets you mount the ER25 chuck close to the bearing, increasing rigidity. Its 2.2 kW rating gives full torque at low speeds when paired with a vector VFD, unlike 24 000 rpm water-cooled spindles that fall below 0.5 kW at 3 000 rpm [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16216705][Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16217485]

What workshop tools are essential for the conversion?

You need a lathe to shorten the shaft, bore the hub and turn bearing seats. Basic drilling/milling helps but most work was done on an entry-level “rice” lathe and ZX-type mill [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16217348]

How is the steel hub fitted to the rotor shaft?

The 50 mm-Ø hub has a 24.85 mm bore. It is heated to 450 °C, slid onto the 25.00 mm shaft for a 0.15 mm interference, then cooled with compressed air, creating a high-strength shrink fit [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16365138]

Why use a car wheel-hub bearing, and what are the drawbacks?

The double-row angular unit gives high preload and integrated seals at low cost. However, C4 clearance and split inner races require strong axial clamping; inadequate preload or >5 000 rpm can overheat it [Elektroda, robokop, post #16222532]

Can it mill steel effectively?

Yes. With a 10 mm HSS end mill and 100 m/min cutting speed, only 3 000 rpm are needed—well within the motor’s torque plateau—so stalling risk is low [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16217485]

How do I break-in the hub bearing?

  1. Run 10 min at 2 000 rpm, let cool.
  2. Increase to 3 000 rpm for 30 min; monitor temperature (<80 °C).
  3. Repeat cycles, adding 5 Hz each time until target speed holds below 70 °C [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16365138]

How does this build compare to a 3 kW Chinese water-cooled spindle?

At 3 000 rpm, a typical 3 kW/24 000 rpm spindle delivers only ~375 W (torque falls with frequency). The dachshund motor retains ~2 kW, eight-fold higher, giving better low-speed metal removal [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16217485]

What duty cycle and cooling can I expect?

Industrial TEFC dachshund motors are rated for 100 % duty (S1), so the spindle can run continuous full load if bearing temperature stays under 90 °C [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16230680]

What would the builder change in a second iteration?

He would replace the automotive bearing with paired P5 7008 angular contacts in an O-arrangement to raise stiffness and allow >10 000 rpm, albeit at triple cost [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16223385]

Is an ISO30 taper on the hub worth adding?

For manual tool changes ER25 is lighter and shorter. ISO30 adds length, mass, and a precision cone seat that is harder to machine; gains appear only if you need automatic drawbar tool change [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16365138]

What happens if the hub bearing overheats?

Grease can liquefy above 90 °C, losing film strength; cages may deform, causing run-out spikes >0.1 mm and potential seizure—an edge-case reported in car hubs run at 6 000 rpm [SKF Tech Note].
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