As a subcontract machine shop, Alitech Precision is a company that is rapidly evolving, a fact credit to its aggressive investment programme, enthusiasm and love for all things motorsport. Since its inception little over three years ago, the Silverstone-based company has purchased three Haas machining centres, Open Mind CAM software, a Spinner five-axis machining centre and cutting tools from Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC).
A recent example of the partnership between Alitech and ITC could be seen when it came to the profile machining of deep port pockets. Here, it was ITC that stepped up to the challenge with its lollipop cutters. The majority of projects undertaken by Alitech involve the complex, simultaneous five-axis machining of parts such as billet inlet manifolds, valve seats, inlet port heads, billet turbo manifolds and much more. Reaching deep into ports is a complex challenge for the machine tool kinematics, the CAM software, the cutting tools and tool holding. At the sharp edge are ITC 4101 lollipop end mills that permit Alitech to reach surfaces around corners and deep inside manifold ports.
Commenting upon the daily challenges at Alitech, managing director Darren Cudd says: “We recently machined a billet turbo manifold for a motorsport customer that required two 40 mm diameter oval shaped port holes with a curved machining depth beyond 200 mm. We used an 8 mm diameter ITC lollipop cutter necked to 5 mm that was protruding 70 mm from a slim 80 mm heat-shrink tool holder extension with a 75 mm long back-end configuration. The rigidity and geometry of the ITC lollipop tools ensure we attain an exceptional surface finish while machining at extremely productive speed and feed parameters.”
For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk
