40 CLASS PRODUCTION SAMPLE

The factory has advised that 40 class production is well advanced and has provided the accompanying photo. With assembly nearing completion the next stage in the process which is decoration (painting) will commence. The factory will close for the Lunar New Year break which is in late January this year and will re-open in February. This suggests a delivery date in March.

Production samples are expected to be received in the next few weeks.

Another 40 Class Update

With assembly of the 40 class about to commence the factory will soon need a definitive break up of the production run.
This being so, consideration has been given to liveries and appropriate engine numbers with the following being decided on:


Original Green     Type 1   4003, 4004
                               Type 2   4009, 4010, 4012, 4019

Royal Blue            Type 2   4001, 4002

Tuscan Red           Type 3   4006, 4011, 4017, 4018





With regard to the Type 1 variation one of the major differences is the mesh grill on the top of the engine housing. This is being replicated by pad printing on the engine body as shown in the below photograph. This is also the green that will be used on both the Type 1 and Type 2 green engines.

An updated order form will be available on the Eureka web site shortly.  Those patient individuals with 40 class on order should advise the Eureka office of their preferred liveries and engine numbers.

40 CLASS UPDATE

40 Class Update


In the latest edition of The Eureka Times there is a photo of a set of 40 class test samples which were the result of the 40 class tooling being checked as being fit for purpose. The tooling passed with flying colours however, as part of the process much thought has been given to a problem that has plagued previous models produced by Sanda Kan which utilised the same gearing as is used in the 40 class.
This problem involves the splitting of the gears over time often in models that have remained in their boxes without having been used.

                                Examples of split gears. 


 Clearly Eureka wants to avoid any possibility of the problem occurring in the 40 class and so the situation with the splitting of the gears was raised with Eureka's manufacturer.   

The factory engineers took a look at the problem and pointed out that the splitting was occurring at the injection points which was obviously a point of weakness in the gear. By moving the injection points the problem would be solved. There was also some discussion on the material used when injecting the prone to splitting gears and a different material will be used in the 40 class injections. 

The whole process has been a useful one and the 40 class will be strengthened as a result. Injection of 40 class bits will commence shortly.  The model with the prone to splitting gears is in this writer's opinion one of the best diesels produced to date and is a favourite on Werris Creek. When it comes to injecting the gears, Eureka will certainly have extras produced and will make them available for anyone who wants to use them.

 

More news as assembly progresses.

 

40 Class Update

 

Original pre-production sample on trials on Ray Pilgrim's "Bylong".

With delivery of the NCR sets now completed the attention of the factory has turned to the 40 class. Production of the 40 class has been dependent upon retrieval of the tooling from our old factory. This has now been finalised and the production process is finally getting underway. The first step is to test the tooling to ensure that all is well with the tooling and that all tools are in fact present.
As with most factories, our production house sub-contracts out tooling to a specialist tooling shop. This is not an issue with the 40 class as the tooling has already been completed. It is interesting to note that in all of the 20 projects for which tooling has been completed for Eureka projects the tooling was contracted out to outside tooling shops in all 20 projects.
The second major step in a project is to use the tooling to squirt the parts that go to make up the model. Again, all but the largest of production houses sub-contract out the squirting process to outside injection houses. Eureka's 40 class tooling will go to its injection facility where the tooling will first be tested. These tests will be done on a low pressure injection machine and the test pieces will be used to produce running samples by our assembly house.
Our assembly house has extensive spray painting and pad printing facilities which are used to prepare the injected pieces for assembly along with such basic items such as a mechanism into finished samples. Our assembly house estimates that we should have running samples within eight weeks.
We know that there are no problems with the tooling from our previous samples and so there are no delays expected in the process. Our assembly facility anticipates moving straight to final production and predicts delivery within sixteen to twenty weeks. It would be nice to have the 40 class in time for the Liverpool exhibition in October.

Watch this space for reports on significant stages in the assembly process.