Project GT40

This picture shows the Ford GT40 car which we originally worked on

If you have visited Perth, Western Australia, you may have caught a glimpse of this sleek, liquid grey icon of Performance Motorsports plying the city’s streets. Back in 2014 the Ford GT40 Supercar required conversion from left to right-hand drive and Routers Australia was commissioned to complete the structural work required . Think reverse engineering.

The project involved re-engineering various parts including the foot well, dash mould and centre console. Work included creating moulds, hand forming aluminium and 5-axis CNC machining, as well as digital 3-D scanning and 3-D printing.

As a point of interest, although officially named the Ford GT, this car has always been known, of course, as the Ford GT40. This was originally more of a nickname and was never registered by Ford. When they went to name their modern GT’s GT40’s someone else had acquired the copyright & wanted them to pay through the nose to use it. However the name has stuck and the legend lives on!

Then and Now…

Fast forward to August 2020; enter Project GT40 Part II. It seems that our cars’ proud owner just couldn’t get enough of a good thing. Therefore we will soon be repeating this work for a second GT40–and this time it’s liquid red. Baby! (Note: liquid grey and liquid red are two official GT40 colours)

This time we will be using some of the forms we created for the initial project such as the solid wood buck pictured below. Traditionally these are made for the purpose of hand forming metal for body building cars.

The Foot Well

The CNC Routed wooden buck for hand forming the footwell

We were able to create this buck for forming the aluminium foot well using 3-D laser scanning. With the help of 3-D CAD and CAM software programs it was then possible to machine this beauty on a 5-axis CNC Router.

Hand forming the GT40 aluminium footwell over the wooden buck

 Hand forming the aluminium sheet over the wooden buck is a time consuming job requiring skill and patience. The metal can easily be irrepairably damaged while being beaten into shape. It must be repeatedly annealed (heated to a certain temperature to soften) throughout the process due to work hardening, where the metal becomes harder and more difficult to shape as a result of the hammering. This particular job required about two days work.

After shaping, the cutouts are then done on a 5-axis CNC Machine to allow for the various cutting angles.

Below is the foot well complete with cutouts, ready to be installed.

The completed hand formed aluminium footwell

The Central Console

Using a 5-axis CNC, the central console was machined from solid aluminium block down to a thickness of three to nine millimetres all over. This section (below) has been sand blasted ready for welding onto the rear section of the original console.

This time around the whole console will be machined from one solid block.

The central console was CNC machined from solid aluminium block CNC machined from solid aluminium block

In Conclusion

Watch this space. We will be posting updates and videos of our new project once we are rolling.

Editor’s note: Methinks, this happens to be a cool project for someone who was a very successful Junior when he was getting around WA’s Go-Kart racing circuit in his hand-built machine at the age of 14–16. He then went on to build WA’s first V8 powered FJ Holden when 16–18 years old. That would be our Managing Director, Graham van Zuilecom.

Routers Australia is a uniquely versatile engineering company. We will work together with you providing expert advice, knowledge and skill throughout the process to complete your project. With an extremely broad range of experience and a passion for excellence in all we do, we are confident that we will deliver solutions over and above your expectation. Contact our team for a quote today!

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Folding Mirror Finish Stainless Steel

The folding of mirror finish stainless steel to create multi-faceted surfaces can result in exceptionally beautiful art works. Making full use of light and reflection they are able to take on a whole life of their own.

We have, over the last couple of years been working with Perth based cybernetics artist, Geoffrey Drake-Brockman, on some of his stunning large scale public art works. These have required the folding of many pieces of mirror finish stainless steel plate to create multiple faces. Being a tricky medium to work with, this has been a challenging and extremely rewarding journey.

Beautiful creations

Public art sculpture "Passage Through A Portal" by Geoffrey Drake Brockman. The steel is CNC Routed so that it can be hand-folded without damage to the mirror finish by Routers Australia , Perth, WA

Shown above is Geoffrey’s sculpture “Passage Through A Portal” It was installed at Shenton Park College, Perth, in late 2018, and is created from 316 mirror finish stainless steel. We CNC routed the panels so that they could be folded by hand leaving the perfect finish he required for this outstanding work of art.

  • "One"; Folded mirror finish stainless steel art by Geoffrey Drake-Brockman
  • "One"; Folded mirror finish stainless steel art by Geoffrey Drake-Brockman

Recently installed at the University of Canberra, ACT, is another of Geoffrey’s works. “One” (shown above), also features mirror finish stainless steel. Once again we were able to facilitate the hand folding of the steel for this project.

Finding the solution

Working with, and in particular, folding mirror finish stainless steel is always challenging. It requires extra care at every stage to prevent any marking or damage to the surface. Normally stainless steel is folded in a Press Brake machine. This causes the grain in the metal to open up on the bend & would destroy the mirror finish . Scuffing to the faces is another problem with this method. Clearly this was not suitable for an application such as Geoffrey’s sculptures where finish is all-important.

We therefore took up the challenge to perfect a technique which would allow for hand folding the material. It needed to preserve both the grain and the finish while maintaining strict accuracy to Geoffrey’s specifications. This was a good investment of time and effort. As a result we now have a quick and cost effective way of completing what is normally a tedious job.

We are proud to be involved in the creation of Geoffrey’s fabulous new art works as well as various other public art projects in WA and Australia-wide. Check out our Gallery for more examples of our work.

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Scientific Equipment Looking good!

Scientific equipment: Crucible holders used in analytical laboratories for cleaning Platinum crucibles, manufactured by Routers Australia.

It’s been a busy month for scientific equipment, especially for analytical laboratories. We have just completed another batch of robotic crucible holders, which are used for cleaning platinum crucibles.

These are manufactured by Routers Australia. They are one example of the high precision scientific equipment which we are able to produce.

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Creating Signage that Gives the Edge

Creating signage that gives an edge to your business is an extremely important part of successful advertising. This is yet another area where the CNC Router excels, and with the current growing demand we are proud to be able to offer a topnotch and comprehensive service in this area. We will cut to your specifications, or our in-house design service will work with you to take your idea or concept and assist with both design and production.

Using the CNC Router we cut a wide range of Signage, ranging from small to large. For example, we recently completed a job which measures nine metres in length when installed. On a tricky installation such as this one where the letters etc are installed from a hydraulic lift, installation templates cut from MDF are particularly helpful.

Installation templates; cutting the cost

These Templates are a cheap, but extremely helpful tool which enables the individual pieces of a sign to be placed and installed in exactly the right position, first try! Eliminating time consuming measurement and marking, as well as the need to undo mistakes and re-do work, all equals money saved and stress eliminated. As well as being absolute genius for signage, these templates offer massive advantages when used by architects and builders, particularly in conjunction with laser scanning. (See following News article: “CNC Routed Templates and 3D Laser Scanning“)

Signage for businesses, corporations and institutions

The CNC Signage cutting service we offer provides the capability to work with a variety of materials including plastic, foam, wood, aluminium and stainless steel. A large number of the signs we cut for businesses are produced from ACM, such as those we have cut for SIGNUP WA, a Perth based Signage company which supplied the signs for West Australian retail outlets including Pinjarra Tyrepower, Beaurepaires and Vasse Automotive.

Our nine metre long sign for Three Rivers Drilling looks absolutely mint, and Kia’s Perth branch is looking sharp with immaculate, mirror-finish, ACM lettered signage by Routers Australia. The possibilities are as broad as your imagination and the quality and finish of the finished product is always excellent.

 Lifestyle villages, and more…

Aluminium plate CNC engraved, anodised & hand painted

One of the signs’ components; CNC engraved, anodised and painted.

It’s all about a sensory experience that captures your imagination and draws you in to explore and discover more. Our eye catching signage for the entrance to the new Margaret River Lifestyle Village was created by engraving images into aluminium plate using the CNC Router. These plates were later powder coated and the engraving was paint-filled, to be installed along with the ACM lettering  creating a striking 3D effect.

Note: Images of the sign coming soon once it is installed at the entrance to the Village.

 

Please browse our Gallery for many more examples of our CNC Routed signage and contact our team at Routers Australia for more information.

 

 

 

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CNC Routed Templates and 3D Laser Scanning

Using the precision and accuracy of CNC Routing and 3D laser scanning together brings exciting new possibilities to the building industry and to fabricators in general. Although 3D Laser Scanning is not new technology and is widely used worldwide, it’s applications have yet to be fully explored and embraced. Such is the case with it’s use in conjunction with CNC Routed templates

Together with Perth based company, ErgoMeasure, we are bringing to the industry a non-traditional approach to building and fabrication which allows for a previously unattainable level of accuracy throughout each step of the process, from planning to completion.

  Case Study: Not Just Any Old Staircase Build

3-D model of spiral staircase showing position of engraved MDF templates

CNC routed templates were used to acccurately construct this staircase section & are shown in this image providing final verification of accuracy before installation.

As part of the renovation of a three story home in Perth, Western Australia, our CNC Routing service was able to assist with the manufacture of a spiral elliptical staircase spanning three floors. This was a particularly challenging project due to the fact that the large fabricated metal structure would need to be constructed and then lifted by a crane on the street and lowered into position, down three floors, through a hole in the roof.

As well as this, the elliptical design of the staircase made it a reasonably difficult job to design and construct accurately. The term elliptical refers to the shape of an ellipse, which is an elongated circle stretched into an oval. Unlike a simple spiral, with this design the angle of the curve is continually changing.

It was essential that both the fabrication of the steel structure and it’s installation were done exactly right the first time. Think: local Council permission to stop all traffic for hours for the crane and trucks etc; the cost of removing/replacing the roof section-again; potential damage to the building in the event of miscalculation; the cost of having to do it all a second time etc etc…

Success with CNC Routed Templates and Laser Scanning

steel fabrication for spiral staircase using CNC Routed templates by Routers Australia for accuracy

CNC Routed Templates laid out and connected using a jigsaw pattern to guide fabricationChecking Templates with jigsaw pattern join. CNC Routed from MDF by Routers Australia

The Ergomeasure team 3D scanned the entire building and surrounding area and created a digital model from the scans of the building’s interior. They then designed and modeled the staircase, which could  be dropped into the virtual image. Construction of the metal structure would need to match the 3D computer model exactly, which is where the CNC Router provided the perfect solution.

From files created by ErgoMeasure of the exact specifications for the structure, we were able to produce Templates which could be joined together perfectly using a jigsaw design. These were finely engraved with guidelines and information necessary, and, used in conjunction with the laser technology, would help to create a structure which was accurate to within 2-3 mm over three floors. Not bad.

Video: ErgoBuild – Elliptical Spiral Staircase Installation

One-Stop CNC Routing Solid Wood Treads

As well as the CNC Routed templates, we were able to provide an efficient method of cutting for the wooden treads and landings. Due to the fact that each one was unique, this would normally be a time consuming and tedious job. Add to this the bolt holes which would need to be accurately positioned and drilled in each one.

This time the carpenter didn’t need templates to individually cut each tread, with it’s accompanying infill and end. This was achieved on the CNC Router in a single, quick operation, bolt holes included.

In Summary:

The use of CNC Routed templates and laser scanning is an absolute no-brainer, but is, as a break with traditional methods, nevertheless taking time to catch on. It is an economical and simple method of ensuring a successful job the first time around, thereby avoiding mistakes that are often extremely costly in terms of time, materials and labour; not to mention the stress factors of deadlines, fines and penalties.

Templates can be used for vertical and horizontal positioning of any and all objects and are useful in many areas of fabrication, wherever positioning is involved. They are produced using MDF and are light and easy to assemble. Contact our team for more information and exactly how we can assist you with your next project!

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Concrete Moulds for DFO, Perth Airport

Artist's impression of new DFO Shopping Complex at Perth Airport

Artist’s impression of the new complex; wall panels will be formed with our concrete moulds.

Routers Australia CNC Cutting Service has once again been involved in an exciting new building project here in WA, creating the concrete moulds needed for the job.

In a show of confidence in WA’s medium to long term economy, Perth Airport & Vicinity Centres have undertaken a joint venture in which they are currently building a $150 MILLION Direct Factory Outlets (DFO) shopping complex on the Airport Estate, due to be open for business in the Spring of 2018.

Routers Australia CNC Routed the concrete moulds for the job, which is now underway & it’s great to see images of the resulting concrete panels being put in place as Georgiou Group, one of Australia’s leading building & civil construction companies, continues work on the project. Moulded concrete panels for construction, from MDF concrete moulds by Routers Australia, Perth

These moulds are created from form board (resin coated plywood) & are cut on a CNC Router using files created from the engineers’ plans by our industry standard programs. Using this system we are able to maintain an extremely high level of accuracy & gauranteed top quality work , which results in trouble-free production & installation of the concrete panels, as is the case with this job.

 

The DFO complex will be located on a nine hectare site on Dunreath Drive, within the Airport West Retail Park. It will contain more than 110 specialty outlets, predominantly fashion, together with a creative mix of cafes & restaurants and parking for 1,600 cars.

Moulded concrete panels for building construction. MDF moulds CNC routed by Routers Australia, PerthDirect Factory Outlets specialises in selling last season’s fashion articles at up to 70% discount on the original price, & includes international brands such as Armani, Calvin Klein, Oroton & Burberry as well as mainstream brands such as JeansWest, Just Jeans & Portmans.

The design of the building, by Taylor Robinson, has drawn inspiration from both natural & man-made flight, with sweeping lines in the architecture & landscape that set a new design benchmark for this brand of outlet retail environments.

 

Routers Australia’s CNC Routing service also recently provided concrete moulds for Georgiou Group for the Old Mandurah Traffic Bridge Upgrade, which is now partially open for traffic & looking just great!

Routers Australia is a versatile, professional CNC Routing/Cutting Service located in Armadale, Perth, Western Australia. We provide all your CNC cutting needs in a large variety of mediums including aluminium, plywood, solid wood, MDF, plastic & steel. Templates for installation can be cut to make your job easy. Read more about our service here.

Contact us today for a free quote!

 

 

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CNC Aluminium Cutting for the Hadrian X Robot

CNC aluminium cutting; large 20mm-thick plate with recesses and thicknesses machined.Innundated with CNC aluminium cutting jobs lately, we have just finished machining a second batch of large Aluminium components for local Perth company, Fastbrick Robotics. Their revolutionary new brick laying robot, the Hadrian X, is currently under construction to be completed later this year. This is an exciting project which we are happy to be supplying parts for.

Here at Routers Australia we offer a precision CNC machining service. Our CNC Routers are ideal for cutting large aluminium pieces or aluminium sheets such asCNC aluminium cutting; large 20mm-thick plate with recesses and thicknesses machined. these, up to 40 mm thick.

For this particular job for the Hadrian X we were cutting recesses and machining thicknesses on sheets which were 20-mm thick and up to 3.8 metres long.

You will find more detailed information and examples of our CNC aluminium cutting capabilities here.

More on the Hadrian X

This “mother” is the first part of a digital construction system set to seriously change the face of the building industry worldwide. It will allow for both very affordable housing, and incredibly fast construction.  Hadrian X’s predecessor and technology demonstrator, the Hadrian 05, successfully completed the first block printed structure from a mobile base 20 metres away in 2015. The new Hadrian X will be able to drive up, extend it’s unfolding boom and construct the walls of an average sized home in only two days.

Using bricks which are 15 times larger than standard bricks, it is capable of laying more than 1,000 per hour. In contrast to this, the “normal”  rate for standard bricklaying is around 300-400 per hour. The Hadrian X will “print” the structure layer by layer, including details such as door and window frames, stair structures and built-in robes. 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) software will ensure that every brick is right where it’s meant to be!

In the past, accuracy has always been a problematic issue with this type of machine. Changing environmental conditions such as weather, as well as compensation necessary for a very long moving boom, both present challenges. Now able to overcome these difficulties, the Hadrian X positioning system and FBR’s patented, multi-axis stabilization system work together to make this the world’s first successful mobile robot of it’s kind. Learn more about the Hadrian X here.

Keep your eyes peeled; you may soon see a Hadrian X doing it’s thing on a street near you!

 

 

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Building a 1916 Sopwith Triplane using a CNC Router

1916 Sopwith TriplaneRouters Australia is currently working on a very exciting project, CNC Machining the components for the construction of a 1916 Sopwith Triplane, which is one of the most famous planes in aviation history & widely used during WWI.

All measurements are from original Blueprints & components, which are then 3-D modelled in Solidworks, & toolpaths created in CAMWorks. This data is transferred into a Routers Australia CNC Router, & the components cut with speed & precision.

 

Original Clerget 9B rotary aircraft engine

Here it is; one of the few original Clerget 9B rotary engines still in existence, ready to be installed in the Sopwith Triplane!

A note or two about the Motor :

The  original Clerget 9B rotary engine is a a nine-cylinder rotary aircraft motor designed by Pierre Clerget & used extensively by the British &  French during the World War I era. It was used on aircraft such as the Sopwith Camel & Sopwith Triplane.

An interesting fact about the Clerget 9B is that the propellor is fixed to the motor, with the entire engine spinning.

This motor is one of approxiately 18 originals left in the world. The photo shows both the size & beauty of this 1916 engineering masterpiece!

After it’s arrival, the motor’s eagerly anticipated first test run, was conducted & it ran beautifully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y6PsDfeFJ4

1916 Sopwith Triplane CNC Routed wooden wing parts

CNC Routed wooden wing parts glued & assembled

Regarding the Wooden Components :

Top-quality wood was required for this project, matching the specifications needed for the aircraft: primarily, extremely light, while at the same time very strong.  Therefore, some components are being cut from 16 mm-thick Californian Aircraft Spruce, while Birch-Face Poplar is beng used for thinner pieces. As expected, this wood comes at a large expense & accuracy is imperative.. Herein lies one of the beauties of 3-D Modelling together with CNC machining.

Working from original blueprints, we are using some of the best industry-standard programs (SOLIDWORKS/CAMWorks) to create 3-D Models, & from these creating DXF Files, along with 2D & 3D toolpaths for the machine.

Here at Routers Australia we are proud to be a part of this exciting project! Stay tuned for more about the wood & metal components along with updates & photos as the building of the Sopwith progresses!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Routers Australia & ErgoMeasure Laser Scanning/3D Machining 2017 Show Invitation

Invitation poster for Routers Australia & ErgoMeasure's 2017 Show

Routers Australia & ErgoMeasure are pleased to announce our 2017 Show, showcasing the latest technology in Laser Scanning & 3D Machining.

Architects, Engineers, unleash your creative potential, reduce buildability risk for clients.

Our Highly accurate 3D Laser Scanning and CNC Service will give fabricators confidence, while reducing costs.

 

We would love to see you there!

Date: Wednesday 23rd August 2017
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Venue: 2/55 Champion Drive, Armadale, WA 6110

Please RSVP if attending due to refreshments.

Regards

Graham van Zuilecom

Director

Routers Australia Pty Ltd

Mob 0408 848 178

Tel +61 8 9497 4080

 

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CNC Routing Signs for TAFE WA Installation.

CNC routed Signage


Completed & installed at one of the locations on campus. 

Routers Australia recently completed a project CNC Routing Signs for a TAFE WA installation.

Letters & signs were cut in three different mediums totaling 80 pieces. This included MDF templates to enable easy installation of all letters.

The three mediums we used were: 10mm thick aluminium plate; 3mm aluminium sheet & 10mm black acrylic.

CNC Routing signs: Aluminium TAFE WA sign with 3mm deep recessed letters to be paint-filled.

This image showing recessed letters. Fine finish & all cutter marks will be masked by paint fill.

As shown in the images, some signs had 3mm deep letters cut into the aluminium plate, which would later be paint-filled.

Stand-alone letters from both aluminium & black acrylic needed to have high quality edge finish, as shown in the image below.

Throughout the cutting process Routers Australia took extreme care to prevent any scratches, marks or dents, ensuring an immaculate finish.

Finally, Routers Australia packed the completed pieces with bubble wrap inside a crate constructed for the job. Wooden crates are used for long distance travel to prevent damage & ensure safe transit & delivery of items.

CNC Routing signs: Edge view of 10mm aluminium letter for sign showing high gloss superfine finish.

Edge view of 10mm aluminium letter for sign showing high gloss superfine finish.

Another batch of speaker pods going out the door, professionally packed by Routers Australia to ensure safe delivery anywhere in Australia or overseas.

Another batch of speaker pods going out the door, professionally packed. Routers Australia will ensure that your job is safely delivered anywhere in Australia or overseas.

 

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