Essay on How Important is CNC (Computer Numerical Control) in NASCAR

The name of the game in racing and street performance is horsepower, and professional engine builders know that precisely ported heads mean better engine efficiency not to mention the difference between taking the checkered flag and staring at a competitor's rear bumper for 500 miles. So why spend thousands of dollars on a precision-machined engine block, crank and pistons, just to bolt on a set of unported cylinder heads with mismatched port volumes and rough wall surfaces? This is where hand porting comes in.

A set of hand-ported heads can look impressive. But from a manufacturing stand point; it is impossible to identically size each port volume, or to accurately replicate an "ideal" port design on another head. It is also time-consuming inefficient for a high variety, low volume porting business. From a performance standpoint, cleaning up ports by hand does assist flow by reducing restrictions, but the head can't deliver its full potential because of mismatched port volumes.

Computer numerical controlled (CNC) machine tools speed throughput in a wide variety of industries. But machining only in three axes leaves tool marks that cross over one another in various directions, requiring hand polishing and blending to smooth surfaces. Not only does this add time to the process, but it also removes additional material, making the port larger than originally designed. And just because a shop has CNC capabilities doesn't mean it can clone a pro engine builder's "perfect" port design. These were problems that perplexed Bob Hudgins, president of CNC Cylinder Heads. Unfortunately for Mr. Hudgins, he couldn't just open up a machinery catalog and order the exact system he needed it just didn't exist. So he developed a system to solve his problems.

Employing a special combination of high-tech equipment, including vertical CNC machining centers (VMC)..............

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