Quote:
Originally Posted by 75Sv1
Many factors. Yes a head is more complicated. Time is also a factor. I think one bellhousing I did some design work cast $35K to cast prototypes. Due to time constrianst, it was needed in two weeks. Usual time is about a month. Also, were the part is cast. China is much cheaper, at least at the moment. So, we are comparing a price for a prototype to a limited production. Cost should be simular, but I'd think somewhat less for a production part.
Still, I was pointing out that the main cost would be the initial casting cope and drag or forms.
Tom
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I 2nd this. I have some experience with plastic roto-mold construction, and even though its a totally different medium, the construction of a precision mold is not cheap. 10 to 20K minimum, and that would be a much simpler mold than something for cast aluminum.
Also, question on the custom head. For a custom head, would it not be completely machined out of a block of aluminum? I figure for something like that you would start with a blank of raw material, and machine it to specs, you wouldn't be casting something new first I don't think.
To cast a complete bell housing, you need to create a complex mold, followed by lengthy machining process. By the time you are done, it would be 20-30 times the price than just adapting something else, or another chassis transmission to the application.
Im not sure its a totally realistic idea for this, you would need a very large group of people to pony up a very large collection of cash for an extremely complex, completely untested product that requires many many steps in construction.