The available material required machining to achieve the sizes on the drawing.
The following procedures were actioned:
Material was sawn into 2 metre lengths and underwent a stress relieving operation overnight.
A small line of four machines were allocated to the project and a night shift was implemented.
The photos here show:
1. The gear-cutting operation, machined in 2 metre lengths.
2. The machining of the ends from the centreline of the last tooth to give a continuous run of racking.
3. The excess material being removed.
4. The slots required at intervals along its length to enable the rack to be bent to the required spiral.