Post Aw5MWJLMzVIWrtaQ7s by fuzzylynx
 (DIR) More posts by fuzzylynx
 (DIR) Post #Aw48bf2WA0dN5YSv56 by TerryHancock@realsocial.life
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       Making a very large cast-iron gear. With the sandcasting, bore, and shaping steps. This is a cool video.I'm cringing at the safety violations, though. I think OSHA would've had some issues with this plant. I don't see any of these guys wearing steel-toed boots, for starters.But it's very interesting to watch. These are processes I've mostly only read about -- it's great to see it.Also, the scale and the rigging you need to handle these heavy parts.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtbX-Vrey_4
       
 (DIR) Post #Aw49ecXc0RHOA8z78S by TerryHancock@realsocial.life
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       A lot of labor involved here. And note how much has to be repeated for each gear (even each tooth, with the shaper). Note they lose the sand mold in the process.Some of this process could be automated on an assembly line, done by robots, etc. (E.g. a CNC mill could do the shaping and boring).BUT... is it worth it? What volume of gears this size does the market demand?So that's a decision you have to make with low-volume manufacturing.
       
 (DIR) Post #Aw5MWJLMzVIWrtaQ7s by fuzzylynx
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       @TerryHancock it's impressive and scary. impressive by how their products still work and don't being crushed during use. I mean, I have a vague feeling that they have to use the steel of some particular quality with some alloying or something like that. but what they actually used was just any scrap metal they have. and then, when they finished gear teeth, the guy operating the machine checked surface quality by his bare hand on the path of the tool during working. I didn't see any measuring tools such as micrometers, calipers, templates, even simple ruler. so the text about quality, accuracy and precise tolerance seems like a trolling. and it's scary, as you already mentioned safety violations… but I guess their gears are too cheap comparing with other manufactures. and if they start to use safe processes, it'll inevitably rise the prices and they could not compete with others. and it's sad…
       
 (DIR) Post #Aw64qwuPzfwbLvdCmu by fuzzylynx
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       @TerryHancock oh… I'm actually not into heavy engineering, so thank you for explanation. :) but cast iron is rather fragile, doesn't it affect overall gears' reliability?as for old-fashioned technology and safety standards… probably there are economical (mostly) and political reasons for it. I want to believe that such terrible working conditions will change to better some time, but it seems, it's a long way to go.