
Modeltek founder Zeno Noacco was at a trade show when he saw the machine that was to end his use of sub-contractors for many of the parts incorporated in his scale racing cars. “I immediately liked the simplicity of the machine, and the control appeared to be very easy to use. However, as someone with no experience of CNC machining, I was worried that I might buy a machine and then not be able to use it.”
As it happens, he was worrying unnecessarily about buying the Haas Super Mini Mill (
www.haascnc.com). “I told myself that I would give it a go, and if I had made a mistake, I would sell the machine and go back to usingsub-contractors to make our parts. After a few weeks I was completely confident, and I knew all the machine’s functions and capabilities.”
Modeltek’s one-fifth-scale racing cars — sold under the name Genius RC — cost around 2,000 euros. Each is a painstaking replica of a full-scale counterpart, with custom-designed differentials, gearboxes, hydraulic disc-brake systems, drive shafts and suspension.
All of the parts are created to tight and specific criteria, with the size, weight and materials laid down by the sport’s governing body — the European Federation of Radio Operated Automobiles (EFRA).
In the years before he started his company, Mr Noacco was a hobbyist who lived for the weekends, when he and his friends would race the scale models they made at home in their spare time. His models were exceptional, so much so that his fellow racers — his competitors — would often ask him to make parts for their cars. “Little by little, I began modifying and making a few of the more simple parts on my cars. Eventually, I made almost all parts,
not only for my cars but also for anyone else who wanted them.”
Thanks to the Internet, orders soon began to roll in. “It’s a niche market,” says Mr Noacco, “so production volumes are not huge, even though we sell world-wide. However, we now make around 400 cars a year: the ‘Touring’ model – designed to resemble a BMW, Mercedes, or Alfa Romeo – as well as the ‘F1’ model.”
Given his positive early experience with the Haas Super Mini Mill, Mr Noacco did not need to look far for his next CNC machines. “We bought a Haas VF-2SS, a VF-3SS, and a standard VF-2 , so we now have four Haas machines, a dedicated and fully trained operator, and no need to use sub-contractors or buy in parts — other than the motor, which comes from Japan, and the fibreglass body shell.”

On a bench in an assembly area adjacent to the machine shop, there are several chassis in various states of build. The parts — even a miniature centrifugal clutch — look just like those used on full-size racing cars, and they behave in a very similar manner.
“Just like the engineers who design full-scale vehicles, we begin a project by doing the maths. For example, with a new self-locking differential, we work out the forces generated by the motor, and the desired power and torque output of the car, and we use those figures to create parts with the correct weight and dimensions.”
Prototype parts are designed on a CAD system, then cut on the Haas machines. They are produced from a variety of materials — including steel, titanium and aluminium — and most are as precise as wristwatch components.
“We produce lots of small parts, which we usually machine on the Super Mini Mill. We also have large parts, such as the chassis floor to which everything else is mounted.
“This is almost 700mm long, and it is the reason for needing the VF-3. In fact, the best-size Haas machines for us now are the VF-2SS and the VF-3SS; they give us plenty of table space, as well as the flexibility to make large or small parts. Production batches are typically around 200-off, which we can machine in less than 8hr.”
Once all the prototype parts are assembled into a complete vehicle, the testing phase begins. “We build five working models for the race team, and over the course of a year, we will refine the new car and fine-tune it until we have something that we are happy with and that is as close as possible to the minimum weight of 10kg.
“In many ways, the world of large-scale model racing is very similar to the real racing world. As well as providing cars and parts for customers, we have a race team — Genius Racing. Next door we have even built a racetrack equipped with telemetry. We travel all over Europe and the rest of the world; there is also a large following among the automotive companies. I have many friends at Ferrari, and everyone takes it very seriously. We also have a lot of fun; after all, it is a pastime for most people.”
That is not the case for Modeltek and its four employees. “We may be a small company, but we see some great opportunities, now that we have some good design and machining skills. In fact, we have even done some work for the Italian Air Force, although at the moment we have little time for anything except the model cars.”