The multiple award-winning custom-bike manufacturer Thunderbike now manufactures a large number of its individually machined parts using HyperMill CAM software from Open Mind Technologies (www.openmind-tech.com). The motorcycle manufacturer also uses the software company’s HyperCAD system for production-related design tasks.

Using HyperMill’s five-axis machining strategies, the number of operations has been halved in many instances and the machining times have been significantly reduced; this is particularly the case for complex components such as fully milled wheels (more than 80% of the individual components that complete the motorcycles are milled parts). Thunderbike uses original Harley Davidson parts for the drive technology and electronics system; all other parts are custom designed and made in-house on a number of high-specification five-axis machining centres.

A wheel design that resembles turbine blades is just one example of the particular challenges encountered by Thunderbike, which is based at Hamminkeln, in the Lower Rhine region of Germany. In this instance, the HyperMill stock-roughing and rest-material-roughing strategies are used to improve cycle times and tool life.

Herbert Niehues, who is responsible for the production of custom bikes, says: “The perfect interaction between HyperMill and the Heidenhain TNC 640 control that we use is a result of the close co-operation of the two technology companies, and the surface accuracy that we achieve is outstanding. Much like how a high-resolution photograph has a stronger impact, our design is augmented by the new system.”