Digitizing Cylinder Heads Help

Kevin Panzino · 02-17-2025, 06:09 PM

Not going to get involved with the side discussions regarding NHRA checking stocker heads with a device, nor the NHRA /IHRA discussion.

But I can tell you from being in industry, the level of detail that the modern laser scanners and/or a 5 axis CNC mounted digitizing probe, and the software that goes with it is at a level that blows your mind. As long as the laser/probe can get to everything, it will create a model of the shape that is within at most .001" and in most cases better than that.

What I always wondered about, is just how repeatable the castings are/core shift etc,

Certainly a major issue on the old factory castings, but just how good are the new approved aftermarket heads on core shift?

I have to think a scanned, max-effort head that someone spent a ton of time on, one port at a time, and checked along the way with a UT device and got to min wall at a few places wouldn't then break into water and create more than a few boat anchors when that program was run on a new head ??

Kp

02-17-2025, 06:09 PM	#22
Kevin Panzino Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 576 Likes: 298 Liked 748 Times in 137 Posts	Re: Digitizing Cylinder Heads Help Not going to get involved with the side discussions regarding NHRA checking stocker heads with a device, nor the NHRA /IHRA discussion. But I can tell you from being in industry, the level of detail that the modern laser scanners and/or a 5 axis CNC mounted digitizing probe, and the software that goes with it is at a level that blows your mind. As long as the laser/probe can get to everything, it will create a model of the shape that is within at most .001" and in most cases better than that. What I always wondered about, is just how repeatable the castings are/core shift etc, Certainly a major issue on the old factory castings, but just how good are the new approved aftermarket heads on core shift? I have to think a scanned, max-effort head that someone spent a ton of time on, one port at a time, and checked along the way with a UT device and got to min wall at a few places wouldn't then break into water and create more than a few boat anchors when that program was run on a new head ?? Kp