6
66mustang
Guest
I was looking up all of the jobs of building a WC car and that one came up. I was just wondering what it was.
paul
Team Owner
Basically using a computer to set the coordinates for a cutting machine. Computer Numerically Controlled.
6
66mustang
Guest
Ohhhh. Thanks paul!
They are fantastic machines to watch in action. Have seen the ones at DEI. Talk about precision cutting.
Last time I was there, there was a stack of new heads about 5 feet tall. Each one was to be cut exactly the same as the one before it. All of them had DE's signature on them, too.
You really can't see much when the machine in is action because of the water used to keep everything cool. Loud, too.
Last time I was there, there was a stack of new heads about 5 feet tall. Each one was to be cut exactly the same as the one before it. All of them had DE's signature on them, too.
You really can't see much when the machine in is action because of the water used to keep everything cool. Loud, too.
6
66mustang
Guest
How does a CNC Machinist differ from regular machinist.
W
Windsor377
Guest
Mustang,
The guy or gal running a cnc machine works with a set of pre-programmed maps or creates and stores their own. Those machines are cool. They caim "5 axis" capability. I used to kid the guys at the PRI shows that we only have 3 dimensions, how could they have 5?
I think it' staken a long time for the industry to understand and take full advantage of these magnificient machines. About 10 or 12 years ago I had a conversation with Kerry at Crower about the limited use of their best crackshaft cnc machines. They had this one very special machine sitting in a corner of their crankshaft operation, sitting quiet and lonely. That kinda shocked me. I my mind you could start loading bullit blanks in that machine and begine cranking out some high end stuff for a lot less.
Times have changed somewhat, but there is room for more growth. For example, my cylinder head supplier can give me an incredible Yates SC-1 head with a basic cnc program thay flow a claimed 420 cfm @ 28". We've measured it at 412...but that is well within tolerance and REAL good. But if you look at the flow curve, they show a distinct tendency to lift the air off the floor of the port. This can be corrected, but takes the "hand" to do so. A fella I know down in Louisiana helped me understand this (Meaux Racing Heads)...plus on another set of heads with a similar problem, his handy work gained me 30cfm on a set of heads after the problem was corrected.
Additionally, it is my personal belief we should use these machines to bring some specialty manufacturing back home. The motorsports industries have moved a significant amount of manufacturing to China, because the labor is inexpensive. Well, you may need to maintain a cnc machine, but it sure doesn't need a paycheck or insurance, etc. It's a matter of creating them so they can run long endurance cycles. I think a financial model would back me up on this.
Windsor
The guy or gal running a cnc machine works with a set of pre-programmed maps or creates and stores their own. Those machines are cool. They caim "5 axis" capability. I used to kid the guys at the PRI shows that we only have 3 dimensions, how could they have 5?
I think it' staken a long time for the industry to understand and take full advantage of these magnificient machines. About 10 or 12 years ago I had a conversation with Kerry at Crower about the limited use of their best crackshaft cnc machines. They had this one very special machine sitting in a corner of their crankshaft operation, sitting quiet and lonely. That kinda shocked me. I my mind you could start loading bullit blanks in that machine and begine cranking out some high end stuff for a lot less.
Times have changed somewhat, but there is room for more growth. For example, my cylinder head supplier can give me an incredible Yates SC-1 head with a basic cnc program thay flow a claimed 420 cfm @ 28". We've measured it at 412...but that is well within tolerance and REAL good. But if you look at the flow curve, they show a distinct tendency to lift the air off the floor of the port. This can be corrected, but takes the "hand" to do so. A fella I know down in Louisiana helped me understand this (Meaux Racing Heads)...plus on another set of heads with a similar problem, his handy work gained me 30cfm on a set of heads after the problem was corrected.
Additionally, it is my personal belief we should use these machines to bring some specialty manufacturing back home. The motorsports industries have moved a significant amount of manufacturing to China, because the labor is inexpensive. Well, you may need to maintain a cnc machine, but it sure doesn't need a paycheck or insurance, etc. It's a matter of creating them so they can run long endurance cycles. I think a financial model would back me up on this.
Windsor