The First Metal Is Cut

7th July 2004

Precision castings ready for machining
Precision castings ready
for machining
The machining of the first batch of Powertec V8 aluminium precision castings has begun at Radical's in-house machine shop, Amicon Engineering. The upper and lower crank cases, dual-purpose bellhousing and oil tank, four different types of rotary vane scavenge pumps and two oil pressure pumps are lined up ready to be machined.

Phil Abbott, Radical chief and Powertec V8 project leader is enthusiastic. "The castings are of the highest quality and the detail design is beautifully done. From the scavenge system to the cast-in oil galleries, the crankcases look straight out of Formula 1!"

View of F1 style oil scavenge, oil pump and water pump system
View of F1 style oil scavenge,
oil pump and water pump system
New four-axis machining centres are being installed at Amicon Engineering. Mick Reed, Amicon chief explains, "We are very busy at the moment and the new machines will enable us to carry out this complex job very efficiently. The engine has been designed from scratch in solid-works software which means that machine set-up is also quick and accurate."

The first batch of flat plane crank shafts are currently being machined by Doug Kiddie and so the first trial assembly of the Powertec V8 should take place in early August.

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