Topic: CNCing of Brembo Brake Calipers

[Mo]

Thought you guys might get a kick out of this.

http://imgur.com/a/KY8x6

[754]

F they are made of one piece I want to see how they machine the bores..

[FunJimmy]

They're beautiful, except that last picture is the cast M4 caliper.

[Mo]

I was thinking something was off with that last one. Still super cool!

[simon#42]

thats why they are expensive then

[JeffSTL]

F they are made of one piece I want to see how they machine the bores..

I figure some sort of right angle geared tooling. I think the bores are not as deep as the opening is wide. I haven't seen something small enough to fit in this gap, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Maybe they had one made specifically for this application. Something like this:

[faux fiddy]

F they are made of one piece I want to see how they machine the bores..

I figure some sort of right angle geared tooling. I think the bores are not as deep as the opening is wide. I haven't seen something small enough to fit in this gap, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Maybe they had one made specifically for this application. Something like this:

A dental drill fits, maybe it looks like one, too.

[754]

It would have to be much slimmer than shown.y
 That is only a thrd the problem , the rest is Getting an ACCEPTABLE , ACCURATE Finish, all thru a 1 1/8 or1 1/4 slot.
 When you see calipers that are 2 color with the blue or gold plugs, they did both bores from one side, the screw the plug in to seal it up....wayyy easier..

[JeffSTL]

Possibly they rough the bore with an end mill and then finish with a fly cutter? It's aluminum an easily workable material. Once setup, the tooling would last for a couple thousand bores with barely an offset having to be made. I actually think with the proper tooling this would be much easier than the plug versions. Not to mention all the extra machining cutting threads for the plugs and turning the plugs themselves. I suspect they came up with this idea to save on manufacturing expense and has little to do with the performance of the caliper.

[JeffSTL]

I've been a CNC machinist for twenty years. Most of that time programming and setting up lathes. 11 axis lathes for the last ten. It is amazing what is possible with the right tooling. I don't have much experience with mills, but this is my best guess.

[754]

I want to see the tooling, have to be able to fit in about an 1 1/4 slot,the tool and the drive mech. If the drive mech width is say 1/2, then the tool length at most is 5/8 .
 A challenging drive and cutter assembly to make, while maintaining rigidity..
 I suspect its several tools of that thickness, the last doing the finish cut.

[raymond10078]

Usually, I can find about anything on the web - not luck today - did find this though:

Machining the piston bores inside the caliper, without using plugged holes through the sides, is a difficult task and proprietary to Brembo.

[754]

Might be worm drive tooling.. Would like to see underneath the caliper or know the width/length of the slot..

[raymond10078]

Here's a pic.

[JeffSTL]

I have also heard of right angle tool heads that are driven with an impeller by the coolant system.

[JeffSTL]

Here ya go. From a cycle world article:

At one point, we were shown some of the equipment used to machine the piston bores of “Monobloc” calipers. Monobloc means what it says: made from one piece rather than bolted together or with piston bores machined from one side and then plugged. Just as you would think, there is a gear-driven, right-angle tool head that fits into the pad space so that it can then machine the piston bores from the inside, resulting in the lightest, stiffest caliper possible (no heavy steel bolts, no bolt stress, no weakness from multi-piece construction). As you would also expect, several passes and changes of tooling are required to finish the bores and seal-retention grooves.

[JeffSTL]

http://www.cycleworld.com/2013/11/21/kevin-cameron-visits-brakes-systems-manufacturer-brembo/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kevin-cameron-visits-brakes-systems-manufacturer-brembo