Dutch Electric Bicycle Aluminum Block Deep Hole Processing Case - $0.1 Precision Manufacturing Solutions

About the Client: Dutch high-end electric bicycle manufacturer

Customer background and market demand

The client is a technology company in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, that focuses on the research and development of high-end electric bicycles. Its products are known for their lightweight design, long battery life and modular structure. Its new products for 2023 need to develop key connecting components - 6061-T6 aluminum alloy square connecting blocks, which bear the core connection function between the battery pack and the frame.

With the EU's upgrade of regulations on micro-transport vehicles (EN 15194:2017 standard), customers have three core requirements for parts:

1. Black oxide surface treatment with anodized layer thickness ≥ 15μm
2. M6 threaded hole depth-to-diameter ratio of 8:1 (hole depth 48mm)
3. 16 special-shaped positioning holes with a position tolerance of ±0.02mm

Project Challenge: Breaking through the limits of deep hole processing

Technical bottlenecks of traditional processing solutions

Before contacting us, the customer experienced 3 sample failures:

Insufficient tool rigidity: Conventional CNC Φ3mm tools have a 0.15mm deflection when processing deep holes.

Uncontrolled thermal deformation: Continuous processing causes a 50°C increase in local temperature, resulting in a 0.1mm dimensional deviation.

Uneven oxide layer: The oxide film thickness at the bottom of the deep hole is only 8μm (required to be ≥15μm)

A German supplier quoted a single hole processing cost of $3.2, and the total cost exceeded the budget by 300%. The customer's technical director admitted: "We almost gave up this innovative design until we met your solution."

Innovative manufacturing solution: multi-axis linkage precision machining

Core technology equipment configuration

We use a five-axis linkage machining center with a self-developed deep hole drilling system to achieve three major technological breakthroughs:

Tool dynamic compensation system: real-time monitoring of cutting force and adjustment of feed speed (range 50-3000mm/min)

Micro-lubrication cooling technology: precise temperature control (±2℃) using 0.05MPa atomized coolant

Modular fixture system: customized vacuum adsorption tooling achieves 0.005mm repeat positioning accuracy

Step-by-step manufacturing process

Step 1: Pre-hardening treatment

• Use T6 heat treatment process (530℃ solution treatment + 175℃ artificial aging) to ensure that the material hardness reaches HRB 87

Step 2: Five-axis precision machining

• Use Φ3mm carbide step drill (TiAlN coating)
• Layered drilling strategy (retract and remove chips every 5mm feed)
• Spindle speed 18000rpm, feed speed 800mm/min

Step 3: Thread forming

• Customized cobalt-containing high-speed steel tap (helix angle 45°)
• Use "pecking tapping" mode (0.5mm per feed)
• Use MQL micro-lubrication system throughout the process

Step 4: Anodizing optimization

• Customized deep hole oxidation special hanger
• Three-stage current control method (initial 5A/dm²→peak 12A/dm²→final stage 8A/dm²)
• Oxidation time extended to 45 minutes (conventional process 30 minutes)

Quality breakthrough: the miracle of cost reduction from $3 to $0.1

Comparison of technical and economic indicators

Customer acceptance feedback

"Incredible! Your engineers solved three industry problems:

1. Maintaining coaxiality of ±0.015mm in deep holes with L/D=8
2. 100% qualified for thread gauge detection
3. Oxide layer color difference ΔE<0.8 (no visual difference)

This is the most professional precision machining team we have ever worked with! Honscn did a great job. All holes are in the right position and the right size. The sample was done well on the first try, which is not common." ——Customer feedback

Ongoing cooperation: from samples to mass production

The project has now entered the mass production stage:

• First batch of orders: 50,000 pieces
• Delivery cycle: 20 days (industry average 30 days)
• Adopting intelligent detection system: 100% hole position CCD detection + 5% batch spectral analysis