Crank project - latest news
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 5:17 pm
Hello to all members!
I know it's been a while since we've issued any real news on our crank project. Indeed, progress has been painstakingly slow and we had a number of problems to address before we could proceed. But I am happy (as well as very relieved, I hasten to add) to anounce that the full batch of cranks is currently being machined and we can finally see the light at the end of a long dark tunnel...
We (or better RWT, the company in charge of the machining jobs) have encountered a number of problems with machining the ADI (austempered ductile iron) castings, owing to the material's tough nature. Especially drilling the long, small diameter oil galleries as well as some milling operations have raised serious difficulties concerning machining times, tool wear and accuracy. Hence we have decided to add an additional step to the whole process and do most of the machining jobs on the untreated, as-cast parts, which are basically nodular iron and thus much easier to deal with than the actual ADI. The pre-machined cranks will then go back to Zanardi (the foundry) for heat treatment, where they will be “converted†into the tough and durable ADI material we are looking for, and then go yet back again to RWT for the final machining jobs (basically grinding the journals, some minor milling and thread-cutting jobs).
Furthermore, RWT have obviously underestimated the size and weight of the parts and with their machinery could not guarantee the accuracy and quality we were looking for, at least not within reasonable machining times (read: costs!) Thus some jobs had to be outsourced to another company with machinery large enough to do the job properly and in line with the budget – causing yet more hold-up
Introducing the additional heat treatment step has caused more delay than we would ever imagine unfortunately, with yet more testing and prototyping jobs and some more unexpected issues. Material allowances and ways to guarantee dimensional accuracy for the heat treatment process had to be determined, and ways of removing salt occlusions from all the drillings in the “hardened†part had to be found, etc etc. Nothing too serious, but a good number of small obstacles to be overcome.
But, good news is, it all is under control, the whole process has been tested on some prototypes successfully and as I mentioned at the outset, the whole batch of castings is currently being machined and will go back to Zanardi for heat treatment early September, right after their summer holidays. RWT will then do the final machining and we shall be able to start shipping the finished cranks by mid to late October.
On the credit side, two prototype cranks are still going strong in their respective engines after many miles, so technically we are good. The operational side of the project did prove more difficult however...
I want to thank everyone for their patience and confidence so far. And I would like to emphasize again how close we are to the final result we have all been waiting for so long. I know progress must look ridiculously slow from the outside, but please rest assured that everything is done to see it through to a happy finish. If you can hold your breath just a wee bit longer, I know you will be happy with what you'll get.
Thanks again and best wishes,
Markus
I know it's been a while since we've issued any real news on our crank project. Indeed, progress has been painstakingly slow and we had a number of problems to address before we could proceed. But I am happy (as well as very relieved, I hasten to add) to anounce that the full batch of cranks is currently being machined and we can finally see the light at the end of a long dark tunnel...
We (or better RWT, the company in charge of the machining jobs) have encountered a number of problems with machining the ADI (austempered ductile iron) castings, owing to the material's tough nature. Especially drilling the long, small diameter oil galleries as well as some milling operations have raised serious difficulties concerning machining times, tool wear and accuracy. Hence we have decided to add an additional step to the whole process and do most of the machining jobs on the untreated, as-cast parts, which are basically nodular iron and thus much easier to deal with than the actual ADI. The pre-machined cranks will then go back to Zanardi (the foundry) for heat treatment, where they will be “converted†into the tough and durable ADI material we are looking for, and then go yet back again to RWT for the final machining jobs (basically grinding the journals, some minor milling and thread-cutting jobs).
Furthermore, RWT have obviously underestimated the size and weight of the parts and with their machinery could not guarantee the accuracy and quality we were looking for, at least not within reasonable machining times (read: costs!) Thus some jobs had to be outsourced to another company with machinery large enough to do the job properly and in line with the budget – causing yet more hold-up
Introducing the additional heat treatment step has caused more delay than we would ever imagine unfortunately, with yet more testing and prototyping jobs and some more unexpected issues. Material allowances and ways to guarantee dimensional accuracy for the heat treatment process had to be determined, and ways of removing salt occlusions from all the drillings in the “hardened†part had to be found, etc etc. Nothing too serious, but a good number of small obstacles to be overcome.
But, good news is, it all is under control, the whole process has been tested on some prototypes successfully and as I mentioned at the outset, the whole batch of castings is currently being machined and will go back to Zanardi for heat treatment early September, right after their summer holidays. RWT will then do the final machining and we shall be able to start shipping the finished cranks by mid to late October.
On the credit side, two prototype cranks are still going strong in their respective engines after many miles, so technically we are good. The operational side of the project did prove more difficult however...
I want to thank everyone for their patience and confidence so far. And I would like to emphasize again how close we are to the final result we have all been waiting for so long. I know progress must look ridiculously slow from the outside, but please rest assured that everything is done to see it through to a happy finish. If you can hold your breath just a wee bit longer, I know you will be happy with what you'll get.
Thanks again and best wishes,
Markus