13 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

From the JK Products Facebook PAGE:

"JK Products® has and continues to work hard to improve the quality of all our products. Regarding our Hawk motors, our primary focus has been on reducing variability, so the difference between the fastest and slowest motors is as small as possible. The extremely competitive racing results obtained with JK motors is demonstrating the success of this program.

There are three primary areas where we have improved the motors dramatically and here's the information on one of them. While we would like to share the others, doing so would lessen the advantages JK has over its competitors. We want to stress these are not product specification changes, simply process and tolerance improvements.

JK has introduced the first 100% robotically computer-balanced motors in the slot car industry. This allows us to balance all our motors to a much tighter tolerance than is possible with a human balancing/grinding process our mass production competitors still use. A video of the balancing process is shown below and works as follows:

1. The operator rests an armature on the balancer.
2. The arm gets spun up and measured for imbalance at both ends of the shaft at the same time.
3. The arm is robotically moved to the grinding station.
4. The arm is computer ground/drilled as needed.
5. The arm is robotically returned to the balance station and measured for imbalance again.
6. If the arm does not pass the tolerance check, it goes back to step #3.
7. If the arm passes the balance tolerance check, a green light flashes, an alarm is sounded, and the arm is removed and replaced with the next arm for balancing."

https://vimeo.com/194242789

(You'll have to click the link, as JK's privacy settings at Vimeo prevent embedding the video here.)

[Cheater]

Additional balancing info from the same source:

 

"This photo shows some of the small balancing corrections that are done with the computer balancing process. These small balance corrections are not possible using the hand-grinding method our competitors use. 

 

Our other process improvements have made it possible for fifty percent of the motors to be within tolerance and thus don’t need any drilling/grinding. So don’t be concerned if your motor doesn’t have any balancing marks. Each and every motor is checked for balance and if there are no marks, it means it was within our new, much tighter tolerance limit without the need for grinding/drilling.

The balancing is primarily required due to differences in the armature winding process. It is nearly impossible to wind the arms in a production efficient process and generate an acceptable level of balance in every arm. I will try to post a video of our winding equipment in the coming days."

 

[old & gray]

There are three primary areas where we have improved the motors dramatically and here's the information on one of them. While we would like to share the others, doing so would lessen the advantages JK has over its competitors. We want to stress these are not product specification changes, simply process and tolerance improvements.

 
“Intellectual property,” one of the very few ways to obtain a competitive advantage.

[havlicek]

Pretty cool info. That this is done for motors that are inexpensive and disposable is impressive. That it's done at all for such a small market (slot cars) is even more so.  

 

I've been a fan of the JK Hawk mini can motor since it came out. The Pro Slot mini can is another nifty little motor too, and the competition to make these motors better is good for all slot racers.

 

Itty-bitty cheap motors with actual endbells , strong magnets, and good QC... what's not to like?

 

-john

[Bill from NH]

This company is probably balancing other types of arms that they manufacturer and are able to also schedule the balancing of relatively small lots of speciality motors.

[havlicek]

Hi Bill,
 
I would also guess that may be true, but it's still impressive for such inexpensive "throwaway" motors. It's also true that there's "balancing" and then there's "balancing." Whatever the spec is they are balancing to is based on considerations of budget, the limitations of the equipment, and the expected performance range (RPMs, etc.) of the motors. Certainly, how precise the balancing spec is for a Hawk is less critical than an open motor.

 

Anyway, competition is a good thing!  
 
-john

[Bill from NH]

Balancing is definitely a step in the positive direction. I used to race rmotors in both balanced and unbalanced motor classes.

[Arne Saknussem]

The complaints should be starting soon... though I can't see why.

[Samiam]

The only complaint will be from the guys who buy 20 motors looking for the that golden bullet. Now they will have to buy 100 motors. And test all of them.

 

Good luck with that. 

[havlicek]

I would think/hope that the majority understand what sort of value these motors represent and be thankful. There will always be complainers, and a motor made completely out of diamond-encrusted kryptonite, assembled under a full moon on a bridge in Shangri La by 14 virgins hand-picked by Tesla's grandson using techniques specified in the Kama Sutra and selling for $5 would still not satisfy someone... somewhere... sometime. No biggie.

 

-john

[SlotStox#53]

Is that the specs for the next HPower motor, John?

[swodem]

I would think/hope that the majority understand what sort of value these motors represent and be thankful. There will always be complainers, and a motor made completely out of diamond-encrusted kryptonite, assembled under a full moon on a bridge in Shangri La by 14 virgins hand-picked by Tesla's grandson using techniques specified in the Kama Sutra and selling for $5 would still not satisfy someone... somewhere... sometime. No biggie.

I just want to know where that bridge is...

[Dave Buchholz]

I wanted first dibs on the fourteen virgins on the bridge, but four years after this initial posting... hey life goes on!

[Arne Saknussem]

I wanted first dibs on the fourteen virgins on the bridge, but four years after this initial posting... hey life goes on!

 

Yes, Dave... the same as it ever was.