Diseño del sistema de control de variación de velocidad del husillo de un torno convencional

Abstract

Conventional lathes, over time, develop failures in their speed-change systems, which hinder operation and may cause jams during adjustments, leading to unproductive downtime and the eventual need to replace the equipment. The objective of this project is to retrofit a conventional lathe lacking its native speed system by integrating a frequency inverter, a programmable logic controller (PLC), and a human–machine interface (HMI), to enable continuous speed control during the machining of materials commonly used in the Ecuadorian market, such as structural steel and aluminum. Additionally, the project included the redesign of the belt–pulley transmission system. This proposal is justified by the need to extend the service life of obsolete equipment found in workshops that cannot afford to acquire a new or CNC lathe. The results showed a functional system capable of reaching up to 1464 RPM in spindle and machining materials such as AISI 1045 and AA 6061, achieving continuous chip formation. However, due to the absence of a vibration feedback system, the machined parts presented poor surface finish because of self-excited vibrations. Keywords: Lathe, PLC, Retrofit, Machining, Spindle.