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General Machining Subcontracting Services
News Release from: APT Leicester (Automatic Precision Turning) | Subject: Machining suspension components
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 August 2005
Suspension parts machined to win races
Accurately machined parts for racing motor cycles - where a few thousandths of a second make all the difference - are essential, and APT uses the latest CNC techniques to ensure this.
Motor cycle racing is not only one of the most exciting of sports around, it is also one of the most closely contested - with winners and losers frequently separated by just a few thousandths of a second The keys to an effective race bike set-up are its suspension components
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 14 Dec 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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And among the most important of these are the shock absorbers.
With finely adjustable bump and rebound characteristics, each unit's consistency and repeatability are virtually as important to race team engineers as outright performance, particularly if historical circuit data is going to be used effectively to optimise bike settings for each event.
So, when the likes of World Supersport Championship winners Ten Kate Honda, the Foggy Petronas World Superbike championship team, factory backed Kawasakis, and British Superbike champions John Reynolds and Steve Hislop all rely on suspension systems supplied by the same Coalville-based company, K-Tech Suspension, you can be sure there is a very good reason.
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Parts machined to ultra-close tolerances
Ultra-close tolerance, turned or prismatic components are machined in materials ranging from aluminium, brass and steel, to engineering plastics, stainless and high temperature alloys.
Subcontract machinist adds CNC sliding head auto
Rising orders has prompted APT Leicester to increase its capacity for close tolerance turned components through the purchase of a latest generation Star SR-20R II sliding head CNC lathe.
Precision turning company orders more CNC autos
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"Our shock absorbers are assembled from approximately 60 different precision parts," explains K-Tech's managing director, Ken Summerton, "And every one of these can influence the finished product's performance.
Even component surface finish can have a significant effect in some cases, so it is important that nothing is left to chance.
"Quality control is vital for us, particularly when it comes to outsourced parts like the precision turned sleeves, adjuster needles, housings and end caps at the heart of our units," he adds.
"In the past, we used several suppliers, but never found anyone to fully meet our requirements.
However, we have now established a close relationship with APT Leicester, and today the company supplies around 85% of all our bought-in turned components." K-Tech originally contacted the turning specialist three years ago, after finding the company listed as an active member of the British Turned Parts Manufacturers' Association.
Following the production of some trial batches, orders for production units grew rapidly as Summerton and his colleagues recognised the quality of APT's work.
APT's capabilities are geared to manufacturing close tolerance turned components from 1 to 42mm diameter in materials ranging from aluminium, brass and steel, to plastics, stainless and high temperature alloys.
Production from the company's state-of-the-art Star multi-axis sliding head and Miyano fixed head lathes is also backed by certification to internationally recognised ISO quality standards.
"The majority of K-Tech components are produced in aluminium alloy or steel, and are typically held to a total tolerance of just 0.02mm," continues Summerton.
"We have always found APT's quality to be excellent; whether it is on a one-off, or a batch of several hundred units.
This is also backed up by the helpful technical advice we receive whenever we come to discuss modifications to parts, or the best way of producing new designs." Today, APT Leicester supplies K-Tech with around 40 different core products and - due to the modular design of the company's equipment - these are just as likely to be found on international race winners as in K-Tech's range of suspension units for modern road bikes.
"Without doubt, APT is one of our best suppliers," says Summerton.
"Like us, they are experts in their own field and share our eye for detail.
It is the small things that make the difference between winners and 'also-rans' in our business; and to some extent, the same principles can be applied to most customer/supplier relationships.
I therefore look forward to building on our successes to date, and to working even more closely with APT in the future.".
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