To meet the growing demands of high-performance racing, US-based
Hendrick Motorsports has invested in two
Grob universal machining centres (UMCs). By integrating a Grob G350a and a G550a UMCs into its manufacturing processes, the leading NASCAR racing team has slashed machining times from as much as 17hr to under 1hr, while simultaneously enhancing precision and repeatability. The company says that this leap in technology has ‘revolutionised production processes and in turn delivered critical advantages on the track’.
Early on, Hendrick Motorsports recognised that producing key engine components required a dramatic increase in accuracy. Scott Maxim, vice president of powertrain at Hendrick Motorsports, said: “It quickly became clear that we needed to improve accuracy on some of our most critical parts. That is when we started exploring different options and came across Grob. The differences between winning and losing are now measured by the thousandths of a second. Which means precision and repeatability are crucial in staying ahead of our competition. Much like our advanced metrology partnership, Grob has given us an advantage in this area.”
The production process begins with cast blanks supplied by General Motors, which undergo complex machining operations such as surfacing, drilling, threading, and grooving. The transition areas in the cylinder head, where gas exchange occurs around the valves and between the combustion chamber and intake and exhaust channels, present particular challenges.
Jay Grubbs, an Nx programmer and CNC machinist at Hendrick Motorsports, said: “This is exactly where Grob technology shows its strengths. The machines are reliable and precise — combined with the Siemens control system, machining is now more transparent and easier to manage.”
One of the standout advantages lies in tool handling — collisions with fixtures are now a thing of the past. Michael Tummond, engine engineering manager at Hendrick Motorsports, added: “Thanks to the tunnel concept, the tool completely moves out of the workspace and the workpiece can be freely moved without risk.”
The special axis concept of Grob’s universal machines allows full tool length to be used in every axis position, even when machining the largest workpieces — a major benefit for Hendrick Motorsports which is also “unexpectedly straightforward”. Perhaps the most striking improvement since installing the Grob machines is the dramatic reduction in machining times for cylinder blocks. Previously, the complete process from raw casting to finished part took 15 to 17hr and required multiple setups. With Grob technology, everything is now completed in a single setup which takes less than 1hr.
Mr Maxim concluded: “It is impressive to watch the G550a machining an engine block. It moves the workpiece with incredible ease, at high speed, and with the utmost precision. Developing the fixtures together with Grob engineers allowed us to achieve stable and consistent setups. The improved clamping was key to taking the quality and precision of our parts to a new level.”
The investment in Grob universal machines has enabled Hendrick Motorsports to take a significant step forward — delivering more precision, shorter machining times, and exceptional reliability.