Having worked in his father’s business manufacturing bespoke motorcycle swinging arms for 25 years, Dean Ryde wanted to strike out on his own and take on a new challenge.

In July 2016, he registered his new business — Billet World — and in September took delivery of his first machine tools and started cutting metal. As the company name implies, he is focusing on manufacturing parts from billet material, mainly for the motorcycling community.

Apart from machining ‘billet parts’, Mr Ryde’s passion is restoring and building Yamaha RDTZ350 motorcycles, for which he machines many parts.

This work has also brought him business from the classic motorcycle scene, for which sourcing parts becomes more difficult as time goes by.

The most cost-effective way to produce many of these ‘classic’ parts, which include crankcase covers, wheels, cylinder heads and yokes, is to reverse-engineer them via 3-D scanning and modelling, followed by 3-D printing to qualify the CAD model, then machining them from a solid billet of material.

Mr Ryde says: “Typical of this type of work is a recent order for a number of ‘narrow’ crankcases for 250 and 350cc Ducati single-cylinder motorcycle engines.

“Initially, the customer was looking at having a mould made and casting these parts, but by scanning the original crankcases and reverse-engineering them, we could machine them on our XYZ ProtoTrak LPM machining centre.

“The highly complex forms and the large volume of metal that needs to be removed mean that the typical cycle time is around 5.5hr per side, but this approach is still a highly cost-effective solution.”

New motorcycle parts

Billet World’s business is not all about recreating the past; machining is also undertaken for brand-new motorcycles, including the resurgent limited-edition Hesketh brand, for which Mr Ryde manufactures covers and spindles. Moreover, he says that this type of work will possibly expand into the automotive sector in the near future.

Mr Ryde’s choice of the ProtoTrak LPM vertical machining centre from Burlescombe-based XYZ Machine Tools (www.xyzmachinetools.com) comes from experience gained at his father’s business, Metmachex, where he used the same type of machine.

“My CNC machining experience started way back with an XYZ Pro 2000 turret mill with an early version of the ProtoTrak control fitted. The control was so easy to use and user-friendly that we bought the LPM, which had what was then the latest version of the ProtoTrak system.

“When I started my business, it was a logical step to also use XYZ machines, so I bought an LPM and a ProTurn SLX 425 lathe — and even an old Pro 2000, for odd jobs.

“The mainstay of the business is the LPM, which has a 16-position tool-changer, a Jergens Ball Lock fixturing system and the ProtoTrak control, making it ideal for the work we do.”

Success has come quickly for Billet World. Since the delivery of the two XYZ machines, business has boomed and far exceeded Mr Ryde’s expectations — so much so that another ProtoTrak machine is already under consideration.

“My business plan was quite modest. I only envisaged turning over £65,000 in my first year, as the business became established. However, my turnover exceeded £55,000 between September and the beginning of December, and I fully expect that the finance on the two new XYZ machines will be paid off within 12 months, such is the potential to grow the business faster than expected.”

Much of Mr Ryde’s work is generated through word of mouth or via his Facebook page (bit.ly/2hdbyk2).

He says that the ProtoTrak LPM (lean-production machine) vertical machining centre is a logical step up from using an XYZ ProtoTrak turret or bed mill, as the control system operates in exactly the same user-friendly conversational way, making programming at the machine straightforward.

“Alternatively, programs can be created from CAD drawings, using the optional DXF converter in the ProtoTrak control. Moreover, the LPM’s machining performance is enhanced by an 8,000rev/min 15hp BT40 spindle and a 16-position tool-changer.

“Machine set-up is simplified by the Jergens Ball Lock system on the machine table, which allows accurate positioning to standard datums using a wide range of work-holding solutions; and the work envelope of 785 x 470 x 530mm means that I can undertake a wide variety of work.”