Magnuson Products Gets Support from Exceptional Mastercam Reseller
Since 1993, CAD/CAM CONSULTING SERVICES INC. In Newbury Park and Anaheim, California, has consistently been one of the top Mastercam Resellers in the nation and is the fifth largest in the world. CAD/CAM CONSULTING SERVICES continuously invests in the latest technologies to ensure their experienced team of professionals remains educated in the latest CAD/CAM manufacturing solutions.
Ventura, California-based Magnuson Products, LLC, founded by the late hot rod racing legend Jerry Magnuson and his wife Maureen, works closely with CAD/CAM CONSULTING SERVICES when designing and manufacturing superchargers for the aftermarket and OEM industries. Currently owned by Kim Pendergast, the company has been in business for more than 30 years.
Superchargers are like air pumps that pump the air forced into the engine to create more horsepower. According to Hubert Gromek, machine shop manager at Magnuson, every little part of the superchargers, down to the most minuscule component, is important. That is why, after many years of outsourcing various machining processes, experiencing longer lead times and, at times, substandard quality, they invested in 8 CNC mills and 3 lathes, and four seats of Mastercam to power the operation. Today, nine machinists help churn out roughly 3,000 to 4,000 parts per month; 80 to 90 percent of all products are produced in-house in two shifts per day.
“In machining, there is not one way that a part has to be done. There are a lot of CAM software programs where you have to do it their way. With Mastercam, you really do have a lot of options to choose from. Being able to use the different types of toolpaths, especially the Dynamic Motion toolpaths, has come in handy quite often,” said Gromek.
One of Gromek’s earliest challenges as a programmer and a machinist was with dovetail O-rings. He had a difficult time finding a tool that could do the kinds of dovetails they needed. Fortunately, through a recommendation, he found the Harvey Tool dovetail cutters from Harvey Performance Co. (Rowley, MA) that enabled him to rough out material and then go back with a dovetail tool to achieve a good finish and evacuate chips effectively. “I couldn’t get the performances and finishes with the old tools. When my tool reps suggested these endmills, it made a huge difference. Being able to speed everything up, I was able to double the feed rates, and, with Mastercam, I can program where the entry hole is and where the exit hole is, which is more efficient.”
TVS 2650 6061 Aluminum Billet Supercharger Lid/Manifold
The self-taught programmer says he has evolved most with the software when programming the toolpaths for the company’s Master Patterns and Core Boxes. Gromek used to program a standard pocket routine, which took a long time to rough the material out, before programming standard toolpaths to finish the job.
With the help of Sean Bellemeur, training manager at CAD/CAM CONSULTING SERVICES, Gromek learned to use Dynamic OptiRough toolpaths to save considerable time. Dynamic Motion, or Dynamic Milling, uses proprietary algorithms programmed into the software to keep the tool constantly engaged with the material, allowing it to cut intricate geometries at higher speeds. OptiRough toolpaths use Dynamic Motion but in a more precise way.
“The people at CAD/CAM CONSULTING SERVICES are always very helpful. They’ll walk you through step-by-step, the way that they would do something, and it gives me a very good baseline as to where to start,” said Gromek.
The machinist attended a five-day Mastercam and Lathe programming class at CAD/CAM CONSULTING SERVICES. “Being a machinist is not an easy job. It took about four years to put together the right team. It fits us. The team and the team building experience are important,” said Gromek.
Manufacturers in San Diego and southern California can connect with CAD/CAM CONSULTING SERVICES by visiting their website. To find a local Mastercam Reseller in your area, complete our Find-a-Reseller form.