It's an interesting video of how they make them, but good God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2XxJKinvis
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It's an interesting video of how they make them, but good God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2XxJKinvis
I was convinced, despite rough setting, doing well and efficient (though labor intensive) job. Until the lathe chuck and hack saw cutting off sprues, turning in a 3 jaw instead some manner of fixture, until scattered die castings went in with used pistons (and of course the usual sandals and flannel pajama pants) a modern thriving enterprise! Cough, cough. It's hard not being judgemental holding other circumstances up to the wrong environment.
Watching is an eye opener. Motorcycle side covers are not equivalent aluminum to what makes pistons. The perma-mold and cores used were not all that crude, no one sitting around, and the volume says they're selling.
That drill press was just painful to watch. I didn't like cutting the grooves for the rings either. But my main complaint is machining out the bores for the wrist pin. There was absolutely no attempt to make the wrist pin bores square to the piston.Quote:
Originally Posted by Toolmaker51
The engine compensates for the off-position of wrist-pin, the connecting rods [of equally poor quality] adjust by bending.Quote:
Originally Posted by nova_robotics
Can't help but watch, envisioning how to boost output and quality with proper fixtures, via exact equipment in use.
This is why I use forged pistons...
Eyeballing the ring grooves!
Definitely, not following the science. As a classroom, high school drafting class, visited Venolia Pistons in Long Beach, CA. Looking back, on a quite non high-tech environment, they were meticulous about locations/ size for wrist pin and ring grooves.Quote:
Originally Posted by mansworld
How it was done eighty years ago.
Fullsize image: https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...n_fullsize.jpgQuote:
Aluminum casting. A woman’s place in this large Midwest aluminum factory is on the inspection line. She’s giving a final checkup on these aluminum pistons which are destined for use by America's armed forces. Destination of the finished aluminum products is kept secret. They’ll probably end up as jeep or airplane engine parts. Aluminum Industries Inc., Cincinnati.
https://diqn32j8nouaz.cloudfront.net...inspection.jpg
I wonder how many of those pistons still go up and down...
Anyone notice what isn't in the photo, in concert with non-disclosure what they're for?
Have an inkling the piston domes had some revolutionary contours.
Interesting observation!!!
The casting profile indicates the pistons could be Continental, The statement of aircraft or jeep is a dead giveaway though as Continental made both Air cooled aircraft engines and water cooled vehicle engines additionally continental was and is famous for long full skirted pistons As for the missing crown views if Continental they would be flat tops with possibly having reliefs cut for valve clearances, also depending on if machined for aircraft or vehicle usage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Toolmaker51
The pistons in the video are for a diesel engine and could be for just about any brand as many at one time or the other have used the offset precombustion chamber
Even more interesting observation!Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank S
A group with a mechanical bent might guess 2:3 the video pistons are diesel, though it must be a very forgiving and simple design, possibly not vehicular. Those a bit on the rustic side.
It was an interesting video. I have installed a lot of pistons, but never saw one made before. I was thinking as I watched the video, "If I was doing that"... I would think the wrist pin hole would be the to machine. Maybe not honed to final size, but everything else is relative to the pin. Isn't it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Toolmaker51
Wrist pin location in pistons with any degree of sophistication; precisely located, perpendicular, to size, to include snap ring groove spacing (though some use 'buttons'). Most pistons have off-set pin holes, and certainly many are installed with orientation of valve reliefs.
As a 'designer', the pin hole seems a perfect locator for other operations. Of course to do that, starts with fixturing off some other feature, which may be removed by the time machining is done. Likely not a lot of differences between those in the video and normal commercial production, except wide degree of precision and production rates, comparing cast parts.
There's an interesting scene in "World's Fastest Indian", that portrays Burt Munro casting his own; quite sure his methods weren't high level production, but all he could do attaining best possible part.
That his record remains standing (1967!), indicates that little shed was far removed from that in the video. There have been higher top speeds under 1000cc, but one way runs; not backed up by two-way runs. https://www.google.com/search?client...still+stand%3F