Case Study: Achates Power achieves complex piston prototype machining with Mastercam

Complex Machining Replaces Casting for Two-Piece Components in Piston Prototypes

The customer, Achates Power, faced the challenge of cost-effectively and efficiently machining complex prototype pistons from steel billet for a new opposed-piston engine. The main difficulty involved creating the deep internal cavities and undercuts that would normally be cast in a production model. They employed Mastercam to overcome these machining obstacles.

Mastercam provided the solution with its specialized toolpaths, including Port Expert for complex porting operations and 5-axis Dynamic Milling for intricate geometries. This allowed Achates Power to successfully machine the parts, completely avoiding any failures. The resulting engine prototype is estimated to cost $1,000 less than a comparable diesel engine and is projected to achieve an impressive 37 miles per gallon in a full-size pickup truck.

Achates Power

Sergio Ramirez

Shop Manager