Design and manufacturing of a high-speed motorized spindle: engineering challenges and insights

This paper presents the design and manufacturing of a high-speed motorized spindle, developed as part of a project focused on addressing the challenges of high-speed spindle performance. The spindle features an integrated motor drive, air and water cooling, and an oil-air lubrication system. Critical challenges tackled during the project include ensuring stability at high speeds, selecting optimal bearings, optimizing shaft geometry, and managing thermal expansion. The spindle was designed and manufactured in-house, providing hands-on experience and practical insights into both design and production aspects. Advanced cooling and lubrication systems were incorporated to ensure reliable performance under demanding conditions. Detailed practical guidelines for high-speed spindles, especially with integrated motor drives and modular cooling and lubrication systems, are scarce in the literature. This paper shares the challenging aspects from the design and manufacturing process in addition to the analytical and numerical modeling efforts, offering valuable takeaways to improve spindle performance in high-speed machining applications. The performance of the spindle is evaluated against a commercial benchmark design with dynamic and thermal experiments. These insights provide guidance for future high-speed spindle designs and contribute to their practical implementation in academic and industrial environments.