The R&D facility at IMPCO maintains several flexible microfinishing machines capable of processing many different customer shaft-type parts and lengths. The company uses these machines to develop a repeatable process across all parts and to document `pre' and `post' process part conditions to demonstrate the improvement achieved with its microfinishing process. A flexible approach to processing a wide variation of components using some unique tooling solutions enables IMPCO to generate microfinishing solutions that obtain a consistent surface finish on a wide range of components.
"IMPCO has years of experience in delivering cost-effective and reliable solutions for a wide variety of clients," said a company spokesperson. "These include Formula 1 race teams who trust IMPCO with high performance tolerance requirements as well as the majority of major engine manufacturers, gas or diesel, large or small."
The IMPCO R&D lab efforts have resulted in:
- Optimized surface topography - reduced friction on running surfaces
- Optimized component geometry - reduced high and low frequency surface chatter
- Reduced `Oil Film' thickness - allowing reduced running clearance
- Reduced friction on highly loaded critical surfaces - improving engine power output
- Reduced friction - allowing a reduction on CO2 emission
- Removal of ferrite caps in nodular iron crankshafts - increasing bearing life
- Reduction of edge loading on bearings - through process optimization.
In addition to its process development capabilities, IMPCO can perform production microfinishing for prototype builds, production spills requiring repair finishing or small batches that do not justify purchasing in-house capability.
Through its collaboration with its customers, IMPCO can specify the appropriate machine solution for a large number of situations including:
- High volume, high performance solution for components up to 0.8 m in length
- Low volume, high performance solutions up to 0.8 m in length
- Low volume, high performance heavy-duty solution up to 4 m in length
- Flexible microfinishing solutions for low production with a high variation in product variation.
"At IMPCO we are able to support our customers with product development, through process optimization for their microfinishing requirements from prototype parts to full production runs," said Mark Hendel, IMPCO Global Sales Director. "Our close partnerships with OEM research facilities ensures we are able to develop a process that meets their needs. The knowledge gained and developed through our in-house research and development process is transferable into a production environment.
"By working closely with our customers, we are able to identify problems and determine root-cause strategies on failed components. With this information, we then apply our understanding to develop a production solution that creates a superior surface finish topography to the component. All this is done while providing support through product testing to ensure we have produced a solution capable of withstanding the rigors of testing as outlined by our customer, Hendel continued."
IMPCO also offers a subcontract microfinishing services for a variety of part types, sizes and features.
"Within the subcontract department, IMPCO generates MLP [Make Like Production] solutions that permit customers to obtain a consistent surface finish on a wide range of components. IMPCO has the capacity to process a batch of 1 through to production runs in excess of 50,000 parts," said the spokesperson.
For more information contact:
IMPCO
3417 West St. Joseph Street
Lansing, MI 48917
517-484-9411
sales@impco.com
www.impco.com