Design and Development of a High Efficiency Air Turbine Spindle for Small-Part Machining

This paper reports on the development of a high efficiency and low inertia miniature pneumatic turbine for ultra-high-speed manufacturing spindle applications. It is proposed that radial-inflow/axial-outflow type turbines are well suited for micro-machining spindles. To validate the turbine performance potential, a proof-of-concept prototype turbo-spindle was developed and experimentally tested. The prototype spindle produced a net mechanical power output of over 60 W at a speed of 90,000 rpm. The experimental results demonstrate a micro-turbine efficiency of over 50% and a turbine power output of approximately 100 W. This compares to a typical turbine efficiency of around 20% in commercial micro-machining spindles. Further potential improvements to both turbine and spindle energy efficiency are outlined.