Production Machining - Your access to the precision machining industrial buyer.
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High Tech Turning fasteners and other hardware. Te material for these ranges from 12L14 up through ETD 150, in diameters as large as 2 inches. "ETD 150 is a trademark material of the LaSalle Steel Company, which patented the process," Mr. Woodward says. It's basically a 4142 that has been drawn through dies at an elevated temperature, not as high as normal forging temperature, but just high enough to allow the material to be reduced in cross section by two-thirds in one pass. Te result is a material that, from this plastic :: This typical part turned from a slug—a 3-inch diameter steel pull ring for a NASCAR steering wheel quick release unit—is quite thin, with less than 5 percent of the material left after machining. For bar work, the operators change out liner bushings and chuck jaws, download the program, touch of the tools, graph it and go. For second operations, they'll rebore the jaws frst. In the interest of speed, Mr. Woodward doesn't get too upset if a few parts are sacrifced while fne-tuning the ofsets, at least in the initial stages of the part. In a job shop it would be diferent, but here, if they get 495 frst-operation parts instead of 500, it doesn't matter. "We view these newer Hyundai WIA machines as replacements for our older turning centers, giving us higher RPM, quicker rapids and a sophisticated control. Around 2006, it came time to replace our existing equipment, and we evaluated everything on the market for bar capacity, RPM and rapid traverse speed. It seemed to me, 4,000 rpm with a 2 ½-inch bar capacity was pretty far beyond anything made in the U.S., and for all I know it still is, so the advertised specs for the Hyundai Kia SKT-21 (currently known as the Hyundai WIA L210) frankly didn't sound real, especially not for the price. So we visited a shop that was using the next smaller model, and after watching the guy bust through a slug of unleaded 4140 with a 2-inch insert drill, we were believers. Also, :: The company views the bank of Hyundai WIA L210s as replacement turning centers that provide high RPM, quick rapids and sophisticated controls. deformation, has an almost uniform hardness from the outside to the inside. "Many of our bulkier race car parts are aluminum," Mr. Woodward says. "On our older, slower turning centers, it was sometimes necessary to use an expensive, free-machining grade such as 2011, but with the RPM capability of the Hyundai WIAs, we've been able to use 6061, which is better for color anodizing, not to mention lower cost." Taking on Tough Work A typical part at Woodward is a 3-inch diameter steel part turned from a slug—the pull ring for a NASCAR steering wheel quick release unit. It's quite thin, with less than 5 percent of the material left after machining. "For an old lathe hand like me, there are few things more satisfying than being able to rip steel of to the absolute limits of the holding power of the chuck, without chatter and without compromising the fnish or accuracy. Te Hyundai WIAs will do that, in spades," Mr. Woodward says. productionmachining.com :: 35