Crankshaft machining video

[Stephen Blakey]

I've just booked some tickets to see Stacey Kent at what appears to be her only 2017 UK concert (in that well known cultural capital; Spalding) and clicked on the video in which she is interviewed. Youtube then came up with suggestions which might follow on from a Stacey Kent interview and it came up with crankshaft machining;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81UjjSH2iFw

The mind boggles at the number of man-hours which have gone into creating and programming this machine. And then, as a society, we ignore all this and give awards to folks who ponce about in tights. It makes me so old and grumpy etc etc. Anyway, I enjoyed it. Please note those who describe CNC as "crap" may be offended and may wish to turn away and put their heads back in the sand.

[Christopher Carnley]

Never heard of her, Lotte Lenya yes.
The last concert I ever went to was in the Bulb Town, Stephen Grapelli.

The machines rule us now, they are wonderful creators of parts from Indian EN40 steel, and in the process making lots of recyclable swarf.

Whatever happened to forging or cast crankshafts?

I had a client a few years ago who was as tool setter on crankshaft lathes at Ambrose Shardlow,( and a very finicky person) but whoever sets that battery of cutters on the carousel must be dedicated.

There is also one of a 5 axis machine making hypoid crown wheels by scraping bits off, as the Gleason machines.

[Stephen Blakey]

Their catalogues overlap and, as a performer, Stacey has the advantage of being alive.

Agree, setting that thing up is no 5 minute job. I wonder how long the tips last? Quite something to see such deep cuts without coolant. Was that just for the camera, I wonder? The coolant switches on and off. There must have been a reason.

[Christopher Carnley]

Cubic boron nitride.