New DSR & JFR Cylinder Heads (1 Viewer)

[Student of the sport]

The impressive thing about MasterCam (or any CAM software) is that it produces a computer code from the drawing that the machine can understand. When I learned code generation, we had to manually write programs for simple parts such as a simple square, which would have maybe ten lines of code. One movement of the tool or table is one line of code. I have done many programs with MasterCam that have 500,000 lines of code or maybe more. I remember one program that was so long it took 3 hours just to load to the machine. Try explaining THAT to your boss sometime.

DNC in the background is your friend!!

 

[Sandman]

I just have a RS 232 cable feeding the programs, but I know there's better and faster ways. How do you feed yours so you don't have to wait? We're moving our shop and this is one of the things I want to fix.

 

[Student of the sport]

I just have a RS 232 cable feeding the programs, but I know there's better and faster ways. How do you feed yours so you don't have to wait? We're moving our shop and this is one of the things I want to fix.

RS 232 cable to a 4 port switch box at the computer, line to each machine, in communications, select mastercam, and set your machine to run in DNC mode, then let er rip, the program will trickle into the control as it is used.

You will then be able to continue working in M/C while the program is running in the background, however, you will not be able to send any other programs until the 1st one has completed.

Or, put a laptop with a demo version of Mastercam next to each machine that will be running the really big program, use a "sneakernet" finger drive, or network the laptop to your base box, and use the communications from there.


Feel free to give me a call with any questions, I would be happy to help.
951-245-8850

Sorry to derail the thread.

There are so many things that are going on in a cylinder head that having control over the manufacture of them is critical in such a competitive field,
the performance edges are gained or lost in some very small details, none of which anybody will discuss openly, however, it's racing, and every team wants to win, and, if they are within the rules of the sanctioning body, then just like other manufacturers of components, the big dogs will find a way, through better resources, or ingenuity, to win.

The real question is, how do the lesser funded teams find a way to step up their programs and be competitive at the new level set by the big dogs.

First hand experience tells me to work harder, find new ways to do what it is I do, and hopefully catch a break or two along the way, but, at the end of the day, in todays "arena", the golden rule still applies, "He who has the gold can make the rules work in his favor"

 

[Sandman]

Thank You!! I can't wait to try this at work tomorrow! With the 2D stuff, the programs are fairly quick loading, (except when I use a morph-spiral pocket) but when I have to use surfaces or solids, it's like putting the brakes on productivity for a while. Again, thank you and if I have any problems, I'll call. Now back to your regularly scheduled thread...

 

[Student of the sport]

Jim, just for you!!

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Or anyone else who digs metal removal as much as I do!

 

[flapjack]

Jim, just for you!!

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Or anyone else who digs metal removal as much as I do!

That's really cool. Thanks for sharing...

Out of curiosity, have you ever machined Inconel alloy, or is there no need for that much heat resistance in rocker arms?

 

[SoCal Racer]

Since we are talking about software and cylinder heads, I wonder if they flow cylinder heads the old way or if they use CFD (computational fluid dynamics) software to simulate the flow. I don't think this matters as much for TF as it does for pro stock, but in any case, better to reiterate the part design based on simulations than to keep building new heads for every tweak that is done.

I wondered that too. I've just started using CFD to model cylinder head flow, and at the very least it's a good way to get in the ballpark without cutting metal. It's also eye opening to see what (theoretically) works and what doesn't. The models get complex though if you try to model the full cycle at various valve lifts and especially during overlap cycles when both valves are open at the same time, so it's mostly a tool to determine maximum flow. Now if we could model all the dynamics of the combustion process, rpm, etc. we'd have something!

 

[Sandman]

Jim, just for you!!

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Or anyone else who digs metal removal as much as I do!

That's really neat, thanks. I notice you didn't have a clearance plane in there when it made a rapid move over from side to side, the tool just held at the cutting Z depth. That must take some 'nads the first time through! What was the material? I cut 7075 aluminum from time to time, and the feed/speed looked similar to what you were running. Very nice work and thanks again for sharing!

 

[90-percent]

Lots of CAD/CAM guys here. My compliments to all your capabilities and talents guys!

My suggestion to level the NHRA nitro playing field is simply this:

All teams can develop what ever new proprietary pieces they want. The CAD design file for such parts must be published at the NHRA website and can be freely down loadable by any NHRA member.

Therefore, any bucks down team that has access to a cnc machine shop (And there's really a lot of them all over.) can get an exact duplicate machined up by any capable cnc shop.


Additionally:

The CAD file can be used with portable CMM's or Laser scanners to inspect the piece parts AT THE RACE TRACK by capable race officials or their contractors. Faro and Romer are two names in the portable CMM business (also known as "reverse engineering") that are as ubiquitous in that arena as Haas is in CNC machine tools.


Of course, the unintended consequences to such a sweeping paradigm shift concept in drag racing has to be considered, and I see a lot of them. 3D volumetric measurement is a different deal that planer measurements, for one. Metrology practice requires a temperature controlled room and a thermal heat soak for the part to be measured. Ball end mill surfacing always leaves cusps that match the radius of the cutting sphere, so ports and airflow stuff presumably gets hand finished - what if that strays too far from the original CAD? And who decides what's too far, any way?

I just like to brainstorm continuous improvement solutions to the never ending efforts to keep a level playing field in NHRA nitro racing. I also enjoy the advancing technology like what nitro racing used to be in the old days.*


FWIW

Jim

* the epitome of old days revolutionary nitro tech is Garlits Swamp Rat 30, that dramatically won the WC in 1986, despite the E-town blowover and missing the race Sunday. "This car can't race at this event,....... I'm not that crazy!" Best line in nitro racing history!

 

[Student of the sport]

I wish this thread would get back on the original topic sometime, soon!

I'll be working on our dohc wobble washer machine til then ..

goodnight g' [/QUOTE]

To get back on topic, the heads and other related items being machined by the two biggest teams are, well, proprietary, the technology belongs to them, by virtue of the investment they have made and the dedication to making a better mousetrap for the sole purpose of winning races, as long as they stay within the rules of course. , no different than what Big did "back in the day", or Warren & Coburn, or, or, or, or,

Should they have just given their ideas to all the other teams just because their discoveries gave them a competitive advantage for a while?

The biggest difference today is there is more on the line, there is a bigger investment, both in time and other resourses, and there is a smaller window of error to fall into, face it, the competition is tough.

As a participant, I think you do everything you can to stay in the game and be a factor, otherwise, maybe find an area of the sport that your budget will allow you to realize the reason you do what you do.

Personally, I could only wish for the $$$$ to make half of the things that go thru my head on any given day, oh yeah, and have all the equipment to test it once I machined / built it!

I would gladly accept some sponsor $$. lol

There is no greater reward than watching YOUR hard work go down the track, um, eh, successfully!!!!!!

I hope this gets us back on track for the thread, sorry for derailing it so badly.

PS. Jim, that is an option in Dynamic milling/optirough, you can opt to keep the cutter on the "Z" or rapid up to clear, I tried rapid up yesterday, it actually added 1.5 minutes to my cycle time.
The material is billet 4340 Chrome-moly aircraft quality steel, as are all my rockers.