Q: What do I need for a host machine to attach an AMS to?
A: AMS can be integrated to just about any CNC lathe or machine tool. At a minimum the signals from the spindle encoder must be accessible to AMS as well as one programmable relay.

Q: How many machining passes do I have to make to get to a final piston shape?
A: ETREMA recommends that two machining passes be made to generate the part to dimension. The first pass, or roughing pass, is used to remove the bulk of the material and prepare the piston for a final, finishing pass. The roughing pass prepares the piston for a finishing pass by generating the oval shape, thus, when the finish pass it taken, the depth of cut is consistent around the entire circumference of the part and the finishing pass has a constant tool pressure, thereby minimizing the piston skirt flex often found in thin-walled piston castings. Thereby leading to more repeatable finish dimensions. However, in those instances where cycle time is more critical, a single machining pass has and currently is being used in production machines.

Q: How fast can I turn my pistons?
A: This answer depends upon several variables. First, based on the diameter of the part and material, the tooling insert supplier will define a range of speeds to generate acceptable surface feet per minute feedrates. However, in ETREMA's experience, the piston casting often will override this first criterion. As the piston is machined at ever increasing speeds, the centrifugal forces experienced by the piston will cause the skirt walls to flex. The speed at which the piston is machined is typically a trade off between cycle time and allowable skirt flex.

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