Variable Speed on Lathe

[Rich Aldrich]

I am considering a lathe and of course going through the whole gamet of research. I started thinking....

One of the issues with the Griz and ShopFox lathes is that the low end speed is not low enough. Even on the Nova 1624-44 or Jet 1442, variable speed would be nice.

At the paper mill where I work, we are installing a lot of ABB variable speed drives on equipment. These are 3 phase, 460V. I asked one of our electrical engineers if ABB makes a single phase variable speed 110V. He checked into it. ABB makes single phase, 220V in 1 HP, 2 HP and 3 HP. The price for a 2 HP is about $170 and a reostat for about $12. If you had a tach on the lathe, you could get a digital controller instead of a reostat. I think, no guarrantees, one of these drives would work on a lathe as long as the motor can be rewired for 220V.

Ideally, the motor should be rated for variable speed, but we have not had much trouble with motors with variable speed drives. Most of ours are not rated for variable speed drives.

The drive has the capability of spinning backwards and can run the motor a bit overspeed.

Any thoughts?

Rich - aka The Yooper

[Dick Strauss]

Rich,
You'd want to order a lathe that has a 220V/3ph motor if you decide you want to add the VFD. A 220V single phase lathe will not work with a VFD. The lathe will probably be an industrial version if it is available at all.

1)I think the 1442 is only available with a single phase motor what I can tell.
2)The Nova 1624-44 has a slowest speed of 215 rpms which is good without a VFD IMO.

[Rich Aldrich]

Rich,
You'd want to order a lathe that has a 220V/3ph motor if you decide you want to add the VFD. A 220V single phase lathe will not work with a VFD. The lathe will probably be an industrial version if it is available at all.

1)I think the 1442 is only available with a single phase motor what I can tell.
2)The Nova 1624-44 has a slowest speed of 215 rpms which is good without a VFD IMO.

Actually, ABB does make a VFD for 220V single phase.

http://www.clrwtr.com/ABB-ACS55-Drives.htm

They do not make the VFD for 110V in the 1 - 3 hp range single phase.

Most motors up to 5 hp are available in single phase. I do not have 3 phase power available, but run a 3 hp tablesaw and a 5 hp cyclone. I dont think any of the lathes are standard 3 phase. Most of us could not run them because most of us have single phase power to our house.

[Brian Ashton]

I think you're half right in that they are 220v 1phase input power and 220v 3phase output power. I've never heard of a variable speed 1phase before, especially if it's reversible. Could be wrong though. I looked on ABB's website and they're literature isn't all that clear as to the input and output voltages are. They do make a 110v VFD also but it's only good for about 1/4hp motor.

[Harvey Schneider]

The technical data sheets are very clear! Single phase in, three phase out.

[Brian Novotny]

Rich,

1)I think the 1442 is only available with a single phase motor what I can tell.
2)The Nova 1624-44 has a slowest speed of 215 rpms which is good without a VFD IMO.

I'm pretty sure one of the new delta 12 1/2" is 3/4 hp and has variable speed and single phase

[Nathan Hawkes]

Actually, ABB does make a VFD for 220V single phase.

http://www.clrwtr.com/ABB-ACS55-Drives.htm

They do not make the VFD for 110V in the 1 - 3 hp range single phase.

Most motors up to 5 hp are available in single phase. I do not have 3 phase power available, but run a 3 hp tablesaw and a 5 hp cyclone. I dont think any of the lathes are standard 3 phase. Most of us could not run them because most of us have single phase power to our house.


The ABB VFD will plug into your single phase outlet and turn it into a three phase output. You have to have a 3 phase motor for a VFD. All of the variable speed lathes have 3ph motors and VFD's that convert single phase power into 3 separate legs of current.

[Rich Aldrich]

I didnt catch that in the Data Sheet that the output is 3 phase. Thanks for pointing that out.

So now you would have to add the cost of the 3 phase motor. It is probably a different frame size than the single phase motor, so you would have to retrofit the base, etc.

Now I am back to square one.... just look at what is out there and decide what I want and how much to spend.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Skip Spaulding]

Rich, I have the 1624 Nova and decided to go with vfd. I have ordered a 3ph 2hp premium efficiency motor, Teco 7300cv vfd, switches etc., I will post when up and going. The main reason for this is a little more hp for my coring system and minimum belt changes! I like the lathe, just lazy I guess.

[Brian Novotny]

Rich, I have the 1624 Nova and decided to go with vfd. I have ordered a 3ph 2hp premium efficiency motor, Teco 7300cv vfd, switches etc., I will post when up and going. The main reason for this is a little more hp for my coring system and minimum belt changes! I like the lathe, just lazy I guess.


you're making me jealous/angry, I loved that lathe although the speed changes really slowed things down. 3hp is going to make that lathe take off!

[John Trax]

Skip,

Can you provide some details on the motor specs and where you are ordering from? I thought the Nova 1624 had a non-standard shaft size.

[Richard Madison]

You might consider a Jet 1642-EVS. It is available with a 110V, 1.5 hp motor or a 220V 2 hp motor. Both are electronic variable speed with single phase input and three phase output to three phase motors. Minimum speed as delivered is about 50 rpm, with 150-200 being handy for roughing a big, out of balance chunk. Have never seen anyone who has EVS say they would prefer any other type of drive.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Rich - in you would like - stop by sometime and you can check out my Jet 1642, If nothing else, it should help answer some questions on VFD for you.

[Skip Spaulding]

John, motor is WEG 145TC frame, C face (7/8) dia. shaft. Ordering through FactoryMation, motor vfd etc. It looks like the plate my motor is now mounted on will adapt to the C face. Four bolts, instead of the eight on the existing motor which I believe to be a metric mount. Shaft on motor is about 7/8", if I am wrong I,ll get a new pulley. Tim Geist at Nova service said the C fece would fit.

[Rich Aldrich]

Rich - in you would like - stop by sometime and you can check out my Jet 1642, If nothing else, it should help answer some questions on VFD for you.

Steve,

Thanks for the invite. I'll try to get in touch with you the next time we go to your area.