Billet wheel Discussion: Point milling vs Flank Milling
12-20-2010, 05:49 PM
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Billet wheel Discussion: Point milling vs Flank Milling With billet wheels being the latest craze in the FI world the last year or two, I had spent some decent time with the owner of PTE, Harry Hruska and a few of their guys at PRI.
With Garrett coming out with the GTX line, Borg Warner with the EFR line, and a few others out there, we quickly realized that not every billet wheel is created equal.
The Precision line of Billet wheels have really rocked the Turbo world lately, and the use of point milling is someone to blame for that. The aerodynamics of PTE CEA wheels is light years ahead, and machining techniques, and technology has helped that.
We took pics of both a flank milled wheel, and a point milled wheel. The flank milled wheel has a flat surface on the suction and pressure side, as its only allowed the angle that the tool can cut with a flat.
The point milled wheel has more aerodynamics to it, as the tool path isnt limited by one pass. The small ridges in the blades are the actual tool paths.
The point milled wheel is more expensive, hence why some PTE turbos seem so costly. This is what you are paying for
BOTH of these wheels are PTE offerings, you may see some entry level billet wheels from PTE soon, and they will be using the less expensive flank milling technique.
Louis
With Garrett coming out with the GTX line, Borg Warner with the EFR line, and a few others out there, we quickly realized that not every billet wheel is created equal.
The Precision line of Billet wheels have really rocked the Turbo world lately, and the use of point milling is someone to blame for that. The aerodynamics of PTE CEA wheels is light years ahead, and machining techniques, and technology has helped that.
We took pics of both a flank milled wheel, and a point milled wheel. The flank milled wheel has a flat surface on the suction and pressure side, as its only allowed the angle that the tool can cut with a flat.
The point milled wheel has more aerodynamics to it, as the tool path isnt limited by one pass. The small ridges in the blades are the actual tool paths.
The point milled wheel is more expensive, hence why some PTE turbos seem so costly. This is what you are paying for
BOTH of these wheels are PTE offerings, you may see some entry level billet wheels from PTE soon, and they will be using the less expensive flank milling technique.
Louis
12-21-2010, 07:26 PM
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It’s not the way it’s machined that makes one better
than the other, it’s the design of the wheel.
The “Flank Milled” wheel can be “Point Milled”,
this doesn’t make it better.
The point milled wheel can not be flank milled
dew to the more complex shape of the blades,
Flank milling is faster to a finished part than point milling.
than the other, it’s the design of the wheel.
The “Flank Milled” wheel can be “Point Milled”,
this doesn’t make it better.
The point milled wheel can not be flank milled
dew to the more complex shape of the blades,
Flank milling is faster to a finished part than point milling.
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12-22-2010, 11:04 AM
#8
I believe the Garrett GTX and Borg EFR series are flank milled.
The PTE and Tial (IIRC) billet wheels are point milled, but as Louis indicated PTE has discussed at PRI that they will be releasing a flank milled budget line soon
TT350 is correct, it is not only the machining technology, but the application of this technology which will lead to a superior product.
With that said, but point milling the wheels, PTE has enabled themselves to produce a billet wheel which will out-perform other flank milled billet wheels.
The PTE and Tial (IIRC) billet wheels are point milled, but as Louis indicated PTE has discussed at PRI that they will be releasing a flank milled budget line soon
TT350 is correct, it is not only the machining technology, but the application of this technology which will lead to a superior product.
With that said, but point milling the wheels, PTE has enabled themselves to produce a billet wheel which will out-perform other flank milled billet wheels.
Last edited by Good Doctor; 12-22-2010 at 11:10 AM.
12-22-2010, 12:08 PM
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Correct, the aero built into the wheel, cannot actually be machined using a flank style operation.
Basically, its where the computer meets the real world. You can design a wheel that makes umpteen bazillion hp, but if you cant go from idea/CAD model to finished product, you have nothing.
The Point milling takes more time, and thus is more expensive.
Basically, its where the computer meets the real world. You can design a wheel that makes umpteen bazillion hp, but if you cant go from idea/CAD model to finished product, you have nothing.
The Point milling takes more time, and thus is more expensive.
