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Posted by Joe Johnson.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 12/13/2000 3:34 PM MST


In Reply to: Of course it's late, but ... posted by Jason Rukes on 12/13/2000 2:46 PM MST:



If I were king, it would be done! But as it is I remain a lowly serf.

The $40,000 that it would take to put a set of these beauties in every kit would be worth it in my opinion.

One thing that I believe would be possible with more advanced planning would be too make a powered metal tool to make the carrier part of the shaft and then to make a much simplier shafts that would press into the powdered metal carrier.

Basically the shafts could be made from 12mm drill rod (a stock item). All that would be required is a lathe to cut in 2 snap ring grooves to take thrust loads and a smaller diameter shoulder to with a knurled O.D. (e.g. 8 mm -- leaving a 2 mm step that can be used to make sure the carrier is square to the shaft)

The 12mm shaft would require a different coupling (Ruland Part Number: MCLX-12-12-F). But this should not cause any particular difficulties for most teams.

I guess that the tool for the PM part would cost FIRST about $8K and then the parts would be essentially free (under $1). The shaft would cost about $5 each I suppose (in quantities above 100 or so, less if they went for a 1000 or more). The pins would be pretty cheap, let's say $0.50 for all 4 (You can buy them from McMaster.com #91595A215 for $11/100 -- no need to use the ones from the drill part if you are not going to held to FIRST material usage). Pressing in the shafts and the pins in would probably cost another buck in labor. Total bill: $11 per kit plus a one time tool bill of $8K. FIRST could make enough for 500 kits for $13.5K. The big savings comes the next year when they get enough for 700 kits (40% growth rate) for the low low price of $7.7K.

Bite the bullet. Buy the tool.

Joe J.