Whats the most expensive part you've worked on?

[Chuck Pressure]

The other day my coworker and I were discussing what the most expensive part we have worked on and we both decieded it was this part that maybe comes through the shop twice a year or so........the thing sells for 25k new!....big ol chunk of 17-4 stainless steel, (30-35 hours cnc mill time, 10-15hours conventional time) lots of close tolerance bores, internal o-ring grooves etc......major final op. pucker factor!

I thought it might be fun to hear some war stories on how under paid/over worked ya'll are!

Brian

[solgood]

BIG chunk of 110 copper, 28'' long, 14'' wide, 8'' thick. Lots of pockets thru holes and slots on one side and sh$t load of cooling fins and pockets with 4-40 tapped blind holes on all other sides. I the end its a big @ss exspensive heat sink.

I have machined 3 of these in the last 6 months

[JWOOD]

$10,000 US lasers I would have to machine angled spots mounting shims. Every one was different and I would do 5 to 10 a week. Oh and if the laser vibrated the glue holding the lenses in would break loose. For some reason no one else wanted to touch them.

[tobyaxis]

D2 X49" Y20.4" Z12.5". My best guess is that they weigh 6,000 to 7,500 Pounds each. No idea what they cost but they have to be at least $10,000 each. Not my shop, materials, machines or parts thank God. Idiot operator ripped one of these off the table last week. What was once a Beautiful Enshu VMC650 (1986) now has a CAT50 Tool jammed in the spindle and gouges on the table. Good thing I already got paid for the program and setup. Now waiting for the repair guy to fix it. Till then a short vacation.

[lakeside]

the project I'm most proud to have been part of is a project through the Office of Naval Reseach. For a Biomimetic Underwater Robot Based on the American Lobster. I was the Engeering Model Maker we did this job back in 2000 along with a few others project (Sonar) at Massa Products Higham,Ma.
http://www.massa.com/underwater_whatsnew_military.htm

[diarmaid]

That lobster vehicle is really cool Lakeside, and a really good idea. Mines in shallow water present a series of unique problems. Good job.

[tobyaxis]

Originally Posted by diarmaid That lobster vehicle is really cool Lakeside, and a really good idea. Mines in shallow water present a series of unique problems. Good job.

This maybe part of the problem.

[lakeside]

Here a story in the Lobster that was in our local paper. I am nolong with Massa right after 9-11 funding on a lot of jobs was held up so it was one more lay-off for me

ARCHIVES

LOBSTER LA NAVY: Hingham company gets $1.3M contract to perfect robotic crustacean capable of detecting mines



By FRANCEEN SHAUGHNESSY The Patriot Ledger

HINGHAM - An underwater battalion of lobster-like robots developed by a Hingham company could become the Navy's newest line of defense against mines.

Massa Products Corp. of Hingham and Northeastern University are beginning a three-year project to perfect a robot designed to detect mines in water 10 to 40 feet deep. They have been awarded a $1.3 million contract by the federal Office of Naval Research.

Joseph Ayers, a biology professor at Northeastern University, thought of and designed the lobster robot in the early 1990s. The idea grew from his 33 years of studying how lobsters walk and search the sea floor for food.

Shortly after working out his first design, Ayers and the Marine Science Center at Northeastern University teamed with Massa Products to build a prototype.

The lobsters are designed according to the principles of a relatively new science called biomimetics,'' in which machines are created to mimic the movements and behavior of living things.

The idea of building robots on this basis is really starting to catch on,'' Ayers said.

Traditionally, robots with artificial intelligence have been designed by computer scientists. Biomimetic robots are designed by biologists.

In the lobster robot's case, the idea is to have it search for mines the same way a lobster searches for food.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by lakeside ....In the lobster robot's case, the idea is to have it search for mines the same way a lobster searches for food.

But now the big problem is getting the mine manufacturers to make their mines taste like food for robotic lobsters

[tobyaxis]

Originally Posted by Geof But now the big problem is getting the mine manufacturers to make their mines taste like food for robotic lobsters

Someone is in a humorous mood this weekend. I wonder who that could be Geof?

[lakeside]

Originally Posted by Geof But now the big problem is getting the mine manufacturers to make their mines taste like food for robotic lobsters

The lobster is the biggest scavenger in the ocean. It not picky about what it has in it's jaws (Especially when they are made of plastic explosives)

[diarmaid]

Why not just breed a few thousand real lobsters and release them when needed to trample/hit off/bang against the mines for about 1/20th the cost, or would this be politically incorrect.