Plastic to aluminum
 

Hello all,

I have a plastic gearbox and i want to have it in aluminum. Does anybody knows if it possible to scan the plastic one and then machine the alu one ? And the second question is, which company can do this ?

Thanks you in advance..

Greetzz

It can all be done and realized... on the right budget. To achieve this, you would need to measure or scan the part, make a 3D/CAD model (for scanning, process the data so it is usable for manufacturing components) and select the appropriate material and production method (after all, machining is not the only method to make an aluminium gearbox). If you want it anodized, that would need to be done afterwards as well.

I don't know how much you're willing to spend, but under a series of 10 units I'm not sure that you'll get them for less than 50GBP/gearbox - unless you find companies or people willing to help you for friend-prices :)

So it makes me curious... would you like to share why you are specifically looking to have a gearbox produced in aluminium?

Scanning would not be appropriate for this type of part really, particularly if you intend to machine it. The quickest way that would also end up with the best result would be to measure it up and produce a CAD model from scratch. Then machine it from there. As Origineelreclamebord has stated already it depends on your budget but for ones/twos I think most companies out there will be looking for high hundreds per part, particularly if you are not providing the CAD model either.

Another alternative is sandcasting
 

Another alternative is sandcasting - using the original gearbox casing - although it would be possible the part(s) would still need to be machine finished - Bearing mounts - Screw threads - Aligned Gearbox faces etc

Which ever method - cast - CNC Machined etc it would require skilled/specialist work and it don't come cheap :drool:

I do it for Team-C cars. I'm just working on a low c of g gearbox for the TC02C-Evo and I made them for the pre Evo car as well.

It makes my brain run out of my ears!!

The first-off Low C of G gearbox for the TC02C-Evo is now completed and orders are being taken for repeats.

Clive,

Im doing more redesigning on my Lazer ZX knuckles, just wondered how much for just one gear box casing as that would give me a rough idea on costs for a pair of proto knuckles?

Hi,
I charge a measly £60 for the gearbox casing. ;-) That is based on the machining hours at around £8/hr. I'm undercutting the Chinese! LOL

What that does not take into account is the amount of work that goes into the design of the jigs and fixtures to hold the darn things. Knuckes could be tricky and may need to be machined from all six sides to end up with something that looks the part.

Having been messed about by people in the past, I have resolved not to undertake one-offs without an up front payment that covers the design cost.

I would be happy to look at it and tell you if I can do it but I'm curently up to my neck with Dino and other things. Christmas isn't helping either!!

Hi
I saw your posts in the other thread.

If you had them made in aluminium, with a decent thread, are you sure that the countersink would still be necessary?

The knuckle itself will be very time consuming to programme and will need to be machined from at least four sides. It's a job for a five axis machining centre.

Problem i have is these king pins vibrate out and had enough of losing an A final place due to that happening, its possibly the most reliable part of my car as it never breaks. Ive come up with this idea as I thought outside the box and does resolve this happening again. Yes for a one off left and one off right may be a tad expensive but I can use that as a most for quite a few plastic ones to be made.

Why make the aluminium parts if you are still going to end up using plastic?

Couldn't you just "back-countersink" the ones that you have?

Not sure about the process of making moulds from the aluminium masters either. I've only seen that done by making a rubber mould, into which you can pour resin. The resins that I have encountered would not be strong enough. It is a technique that rapid prototypers use to make mock-ups of ketchup bottles etc. Just for looking at really. The part that you are trying to replace will be a glass filled polymer and very strong.

If the alloy ones perfect and looking at your skills & others think it will be then obviously buy a couple more and forget a mold. Ive tried countersinking them myself and am unable to do it.

It is tricky.

You need a back-countersink tool. And first you have to get the part clamped on your drill table and aligned with the hole. The back countersink, which would be a special, has to be fed through from the underside and engaged in the drill chuck. Then you start the drill and then you feed the cutter upwards to make the countersink.

To cut plastic, you can make your own back-countersink cutter from a countersunk headed screw. Just file the teeth on it. I can't be a long screw as you have to feed it between the top and bottom kingpin points on the knuckle.