This Page Contains Information About:

• Manufacture
• Materials
• Heat Treatment
• Superfinishing

Manufacture

Product manufacture is carried out on small modern industrial site on the outskirts of Crowland, near Peterborough, UK. The workshops are equipped with the following:

• Four CNC machines
• Three gear cutting machines
• Turret mill
• 7 ton vertical broaching machine
• Universal grinding machine
• Internal grinding machine
• usual jobbing workshop equipment

The CNC machines comprise of a Daewoo Lynx chucking lathe, Three XYZ 560VMC machining centers one with 4th axis.  The three machining centres are fitted with 16 position tool changers.  All the CNC machines are linked to computers for DNC machining

Software used for CNC machining is Open Mind Hypermill 3 axis

 

Gear Manufacture

The gear blanks are turned on the CNC lathe, the teeth are then cut either by hobbing or shaping, depending on the design of the gear. This is followed by milling of the dogs and lightning holes. The gears are then sent for heat treatment and on return are finished by grinding.

 

Aluminium components

Aluminium components, are billet, machined on the machining centres. Aluminium specifications used are NS8 and HE30. Following machining and inspection, the components are usually either hard or decoratively anodised.

 

Materials

No matter how good the design and manufacture processes are, it remains an aknowledged fact that the material and subsequent heat treatment is the most important part of our products.

 

Whilst commercial EN36 has served well enough since its introduction in 1941, hence the "emergency number" designation, improvements have taken place in the elimination of impurities.

 

With quality in every aspect of our products being the most important obective, the decision was taken in 2009 to find a new supplier.  Enquires around the automotive transmission manufacturers lead us to the Austrian company Bohler, long famed for their tool steels, who had recently introduced a range of gear steels produced in a novel, to us, way with no measurable impurities.  Effectively EN36 modernised.  With a level of support for their product not experienced previously, we look forward with confidence to be able to off the best possible product to motorcycle engine users.

Heat Treatment

Whilst our steel supplier has changed our heat treatment company has not.  we have used Luton Heat Treatment, now T.T.I., for 34 years as do most, if not all, F1 teams and leading transmission manufacturers.

 

Tests to date with our most highly stressed product using Bohler Steel, T.T.I. Heat treatment and Superfinishing has proven to be successful when compared to our original suppliers material without the superfinishing.

Superfinishing

To further enhance the quality of our products we can offer Superfinish as an optional treatment at an additional cost.

 

The Superfinishing process produces a highly polished surface to resist fatigue cracks and reduce friction.

 

Price £15 Per Gear**

 

** If the gears are in stock with the superfinish applyed.  If the gears are not in stock with the superfinish applyed they can be sent off to be treated, though the cost will then vary depending on the batch size. Ring for a quote.

 

	(Left) - Standard Finish. (Right) - Superfinish