Toyota Racing Development Partners with GF Machining Solutions
They use GF machine tools and automation to produce aluminum and cast iron components for their 800 hp car engines.
Posted: August 28, 2018
Toyota Racing Development U.S.A. (TRD; Costa Mesa, CA) has named GF Machining Solutions LLC (Lincolnshire, IL) as an Official Technical Partner. After adding GF high performance manufacturing and automation technology, TRD has accelerated production of key aluminum and cast iron components for their 800 hp racing car engines, including the engines used in the #78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camry of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver and 2017 series champion Martin Truex Jr.
Approximately 200 TRD employees design and build race engines for NASCAR teams that field Toyota Camrys in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series. To keep pace with a grueling 38 race annual schedule, strict series regulations, and a highly-competitive racing environment, TRD designs, develops, manufactures and builds more than 300 engines in-house, annually. Precision, quality and speed of manufacture are the pillars of performance for TRD’s manufacturing operation. TRD began their initial relationship with GF Machining Solutions in 2014 when they added a fully automated production cell to their manufacturing facility. Comprised of seven 5-axis machining centers (six Mikron HPM 800 U HD machines and one Mikron HPM 1350 U) connected to a shared pallet pool system, the system uses a rail-guided robot to load the machines from more than 80 open pallets along a 32 m track.
Machining an individual part at TRD can take only a few minutes or, in some cases, up to 15 hours; with part sizes ranging between 1 in and nearly 20 in for a single dimension and tolerances at or below 5 µm. Complex contoured surfaces require full simultaneous 5-axis production, which also provides better accessibility and fixturing for other parts. By using the automated cell, TRD is able to reduce component lead times, boost machining capacity and achieve a 22-percent increase in productivity. “We are honored to be an Official Technology Partner for them,” says Scott Fosdick, the president of GF Machining Solutions North America. “We look forward to developing alongside TRD to improve processes and efficiencies for both companies while advancing newer technologies for the future of manufacturing and racing.”
“We are very excited to see how this relationship will push the boundaries of our on-track performance,” says Greg Ozmai, the group vice president of operations at TRD. “The results of our collaboration with them were immediate and have exceeded our expectations. The Mikron cell’s flexibility allows us to put over 100 different parts through the cell and the added precision has improved the overall engine performance, which propelled us to the winner’s circle in 2017.” To highlight this winning partnership, GF Machining Solutions will display the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion #78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camry at IMTS 2018 in Booth S-338754 alongside a cutaway powertrain demonstrating TRD engine and design for the car.
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