Access to CNC mill... Titanium/Aluminum parts to come, suggestions needed!

[pedeman]

Okay... Well, for my senior project, im going to start a mini-business... Im going to be making titanium parts, and most likely starting with a Team Associated RC10GT... I havent started yet, waiting for summer to come around, then hitting the programming books... Any helpful hints? any ideas where to start? I would like to make--- chassis, arms, shock towers... any other parts you can think of? Its all going to be made out of the highest grade titanium, and it will all be perfect... Suggestions? Comments? Parts you would like made? Better truck to start off with? Any help would be nice, and thanks.

-I plan on starting with wood, making sure the program is perfect, then aluminum, then titanium.

-Any ideas for the design? (I.E. longer, wider, different shape, ect.)

[wyattburp]

Everything you mentioned - I would want too...


How about a poll on the most popular (i.e. most 'owned) vehicle from forums members, and make some parts for it?

I would love some Savage parts, and I bet there are quite a few of those owners lurking around here.

[pedeman]

i had an idea using a savage... not sure yet, tho

[Chuteboxe]

ive bent my eninge mount braces for my savage 25, and id like to get those in titanium, cant seem to find them though, i just bought a titanium engine mount, cost me 75 bucks cause i bent it as well lol.

[Maxxcrazy]

First, where exactly do you have access to one? If its in your school, I highly doubt they would like you using their mill for you're own profit.

Second, why titanium? A 3.75x1.5x12 peice of grade 5 (6AL-4V) will cost you about $110 and should allow you to make 3 arms. The same size stock in 6061 aluminum will cost you $16 and will be lighter and easier to machine (no carbide tools you would probably need for Ti), while still being strong enough.

[wyattburp]

Ti, Al, either would make me happy! :D

[HRDforever]

just so u know, USE OIL! I accually welded a bit to the aluminum that i was using! IT GOT THAT HOT! AMAZING!

[HRDforever]

where do u go to school

[illbreakit]

Ahh, the world of CNC. I remember when I started, seemed easy, and fun. Then the bit's start breakin LOL. I suggest working with AL, not Ti. Ti is alot harder to machine and WAY more expensive. Even stepping up from 6061 to 7075 is a big jump in price. I make my stuff from Sheet Carbon Fiber and 6061 Al.

[pedeman]

titanium is lighter then aluminum, and its also stronger, which in turn, means less surface area for the arms (ex.- design in the middle of the arm)... im gonna do ti and al, some batches of both...

[Maxxcrazy]

Ti is heavier than Al. Look at a periodic table.

[zakerid]

First, where exactly do you have access to one? If its in your school, I highly doubt they would like you using their mill for you're own profit.

Second, why titanium? A 3.75x1.5x12 peice of grade 5 (6AL-4V) will cost you about $110 and should allow you to make 3 arms. The same size stock in 6061 aluminum will cost you $16 and will be lighter and easier to machine (no carbide tools you would probably need for Ti), while still being strong enough.
believe it or not Cobalt (M42) based tools work better in Ti than most carbide tools.

[zakerid]

just so u know, USE OIL! I accually welded a bit to the aluminum that i was using! IT GOT THAT HOT! AMAZING!
you were not running the tool correctly or you were using the wrong tool.

[pedeman]

or his tool was worn down, which causes the metal to fuse to the bit... and titanium is lighter then aluminum, but in a gas form, it is heavier then al... and the reason for titanium is who makes titanuim parts? i've never seen anyone who makes a FULL titanium truck, and i want to be the first...

[Grant Tokumi]

Actually, aluminum is lighter than Ti. The density of Ti is higher than aluminum. The appealing aspect about Ti is that Ti has a stronger strength to weight ratio than aluminum or steel.

If you ever go to Washington DC, check out the Aerospace Museum. They have a cool section where they have some hands on experiments setup so you can see and feel for yourself the different properties of things like steel, titanium, aluminum and wood. Identical size bars of different materials so you can feel the weight difference, press down on them so you can feel the strength and deflection properties. Advantages of pipe x-section vs solid rod x-section, etc. That area is a very good educational tool that is applicable to our hobby IMO.

[pedeman]

grant, it was covered earlier about al and ti weights :)

i dont need to go to areospace museum, we race motorcycles, and we use titanium, aluminum and steel... thanks for the ideas though

[krisI.925]

ever think about magnesium? its not to expensive but it can be flamable.

[Grant Tokumi]

grant, it was covered earlier about al and ti weights :)

i dont need to go to areospace museum, we race motorcycles, and we use titanium, aluminum and steel... thanks for the ideas though
I guess I was referring to this following statement you made:
and titanium is lighter then aluminum, but in a gas form, it is heavier then al...
which is not correct.

density of Al is ~0.10 lb/cu. in.
density of Ti is ~0.16 lb/cu. in.
Reference:
http://www.airball.com/hollowballs_density_table.htm

So as long as you understand that your Ti RC10GT parts will be around 60% heavier than if they were all made out of aluminum. If the alum parts weighed 5 lbs, and you machined the same part in Ti, you end up with around 8lb.

Anyways. Good luck on your senior project. I am consistantly breaking this part on my GT:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LX2524&P=7
Perhaps a Ti replacement may be worth it. :)

[SIRMAXX]

just so u know, USE OIL! I accually welded a bit to the aluminum that i was using! IT GOT THAT HOT! AMAZING!

Use oil? In a CNC milling? In my 14+ years in the field, I have yet to see a CNC run oil as cutting fluid. You have any idea what that would cost to run straight cutting oil? Unless I misunderstood what you said, I know its not a good idea and not profitable at all.

All CNC's run on coolant (mixture of oil and water). Lots of it. I'm talking about 3-4 nipples at 60-80 psi (depending on job). Coolant keeps tools cool, lubricated and clears chips from endmills/carbides. Aluminum is a PITA if you don't know what your doing. Lots of RPM... and I'm not talking about a measly 1200RPM.Tool selection is critical as well. I prefer a 2 flute highspeed endmill over a 4 flute any day. Carbide is preferred, naturally. Once an highspeed endmill gets dull, you'll know it and never forget it..lol. Aluminum wraps around a dull endmill like a sailor at bay in a whorehouse. Hard to separate one from the other. The less flutes your cutter has, the less chance of it getting "sticky".

Hope this helps. Good luck in your venture.

Stick to 6061 like one member mentioned. Titanium is highly over-rated. And yes, titanium is heavier than aluminum. Seems like Hollywood has done a good job making people believe that titanium was sent to us by the gods ;)

[pedeman]

grant, i thought i had corrected myself, but i guess not... so you guys are right... :rolleyes: :cool: i dont really want to do aluminum, because of bending and everyone makes aluminum parts, and i dont think i could make any money for R & D if i make aluminum ones... any other parts you guys like to break? :p

[microrcdude]

Bulkheads. They break alot.

[evaderstman]

I wouldn't mind some of these http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXAMG6&P=Z out of titanium if the price was right or these http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXAMG3&P=Z again if the price was right.

[Re-Mix]

Hopefully you don't plan to find the funds for designing and financing the materials and all from nowhere just over the summer. Companies such as coldfusion racing have been researching and designing products for two years and have finally figured out their cnc mill setup that sure costs a pretty penny.

While it does sound like a fun senior project, its hardly practical. Look what you have to go up against in this industry. Unless you can produce a cheaper product and maintain the quality, you lose. Aluminum is great stuff, a lot of RC companies are not necessarly using the toughest stuff, since while they do bend, you have to really perform a number on a good piece of aluminum..

Just my 2 cents, take it for all its worth ;)

[Out Of Control]

you need to make some titanium bulkheads for the tmaxx

[hardadz]

CNC maching is slow, the only way to go now is with a water jet=coolant/lubricant+abrasive=great pieces, but the machine is big bucks. Just look at O.C.Choppers and see what the machines can do, and yes, they make small ones.

[Maxxcrazy]

A water jet is only for 2d parts like a chassis or skid plates. You would need a mill for 3d parts like a bulkhead or knuckle.

[zakerid]

CNC's can be as fast as waterjets. you just need the right tooling.

[pedeman]

Moderators, please delete this thread! thanks