My company bought a Gerber Sprinter 48.  It is a very nice machine.  But the software is abit lacking.  Im looking to switch it over to mach software.  Well i need to know how to control the spindle.  I know how to do the steppers and the homes and limits and stuff.  But im abit confused about the spindle. 

Its a 5.5hp Perske Spindle if that helps.  It was microproccessor controlled spindle on the side of it.  It has a small LCD which displays its rpm.  It also has a switch on it that has ABCDE on it.  I figured this was a varable speed type switch.  It runs off 220v.

If anyone can help me that is great.

Thanks Eric,

You could put on a VFD and have mach3 run the VFD...

Sure it's not a Penske?   They also make high speed spindles.  Or at least I thought they did <g>

But most of these high speed spindles require an inverter (VFD drive) as Brian suggests.   Most run to 300Hz or so.

Wayne...