Spindle control system for a milling machine

A spindle control system for a milling machine, the milling machine including a column, an overarm connected to and movable relative to the column, a spindle extending rotatably through the overarm and having an end portion exposed outside the overarm for mounting a cutter, a first motor mounted on the column for driving movement of the overarm, and a second motor mounted on the overarm for driving rotation of the spindle, said spindle control system comprising:

• a distance sensor to be mounted on the overarm and to be disposed proximate to the end portion of the spindle for sensing displacement along a first axis by the spindle as a basis for determining spindle deformation;
• a temperature sensor to be mounted on the overarm and to be disposed proximate to the end portion of the spindle for sensing the temperature of the overarm as a basis for determining cutter deformation;
• and
• a central control unit coupled electrically to said distance sensor and said temperature sensor, and to be coupled electrically to the first motor and the second motor, said central control unit being configured for determining a compensation parameter based on the displacement sensed by said distance sensor and the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor, and for controlling movement of the overarm by the first motor through a compensation distance based on the compensation parameter to compensate for at least one of the cutter deformation and the spindle deformation.