There is a rule of thumb in the computer industry that
speed and memory double every six months - at half the
price. Alongside today's Pentium processors and
mega-gigabyte hard drives, the personal computers and
that were state-of-the-art a few years ago now seem like
steam-powered antiques.
The PC
revolution has had a huge impact on drag racing - and
not just in data acquisition systems and weather
correction programs. The development of powerful
mini-computers has dramatically cut the cost of
horsepower by making sophisticated CNC (Computer Numeric
Control) machining readily available. The result: Racers
get more bang for their bucks than ever before.
A CNC machine
doesn't get tired, doesn't take coffee breaks, and
doesn't ask for vacation time. When it is programmed
properly (which is a science in itself), a CNC machining
center will work nonstop until the job is finished.
Cylinder
heads are the most important components in a racing
engine. Consider the heads that are now available to
sportsman racers: For approximately $7,000 you can buy a
pair of CNC-ported Dart Big Chief heads that offer
nearly as much airflow as the hand-ported |
Pro Stock
heads that carried a $40,000 price tag just a few years
ago. The cost per cfm has fallen nearly as dramatically
as the price of personal computers.
The
development of reasonably priced CNC machining centers
has made it practical for Reher-Morrison Racing Engines
and other engine builders to become
"manufacturers" - a status that was once was
reserved for a major company with a mountain of capital.
Today there is a thriving cottage industry that turns
out everything from billet water pumps to specialized
tools on these marvelous machines.
Porting a
cylinder head by hand is a time-consuming and tedious
process. It requires experience, patience, and skill to
produce a complex three-dimensional shape like a runner.
By dramatically reducing the time and human labor
required to port a head, CNC machining has allowed
engine shops to produce high quality components at very
reasonable prices. Just as SuperFlow put flow benches
within the reach of every shop and serious racer, CNC
machining centers have given engine builders the
capability to produce heads that offer exceptional
performance.
CNC
machining can accurately duplicate |
