Stereotypes and Comp Cams

[MolaKule]

You know how we sometimes stereotype people and put them in a categorical box, or create a mental picture?

I was just reading an article in Chevy High Peformance about camshaft grinding, the steels selected, and the machines and grinding wheels used to grind the cam profiles.

My mental picture of these guys was: A bunch of gearheads with maybe, just maybe one degreed engineer doing the designs and then sending the designs to a CNC machine with the rest of the guys polishing and measuring, boxing up, etc.

Boy was I wrong.

Billy Godbold of COMP Cams is a widely regarded, top camshaft designer in the industry. I assumed wrongly, before reading the article, that he was just a highly experienced cam grinder.

What is Billy's background? Billy is a Nuclear Physicist.

As a nuclear physicist, one has to have a good knowledge of materials (for obvious reasons) and it appears he is putting that knowledge to good use.

I guess the moral of the story is: Even we physicists can contribute to disciplines of mechanical engineering, tribology and lubrication.

 

[daves87rs]

So true...need to read that...

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule
I guess the moral of the story is: Even we physicists can contribute to disciplines of mechanical engineering, tribology and lubrication.


Good to know - I put a Comp cam in the old F-150. As for physicists, of course. They do all the hard work that chemists can't handle.

 

[Quest]

wholeheartely agreed, Mola.

unlike what clarklawnscape sez: we do need scientific mindset and relevant discipline in order to develop a lot of sophisticated machineries, devices, etc. things that modernise, if not propel this world moving forward.

I hold very high respect towards engineers and scientists who contribute to this world in terms of development and progress.

Thank you all for such wonderful contribution...keep the good things coming.

Q.

 

[oilboy123]

I like to think of myself as a thinking outside of the box type person. But many times I have a narrow minded view of things/people as well.
Good to hear of different types of people using their knowledge in different ways.

 

[mechtech2]

I hope you are sitting down, because Jimmy Carter was a nuclear physicist.
[Also the first USA President to be born in a hospital!}

 

[L_Sludger]

I'm not sure whether I want to buy camshafts that glow in the dark.

 

[MolaKule]

Quote:
I hope you are sitting down, because Jimmy Carter was a nuclear physicist.


I don't think he was a degreed nuclear physicist. He did have a career in the Navy with nuclear subs.

 

[MolaKule]

Quote:
I'm not sure whether I want to buy camshafts that glow in the dark.



What, don't want to assemble your engine in the dark?

 

[addyguy]

Hate to say it, but....

This guy is probalby a nuclear scientist who would much rather be working in his field. He probably ISN'T because of the current job market. He probably took the comp cams job because it was somewhere he could earn a good paycheck and make some use of his expensive degree.

If you asked him, I don't think he gives a heck about who he's working for, it's just a good paycheck to him. Such is the world today, folks....

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
If you asked him, I don't think he gives a heck about who he's working for, it's just a good paycheck to him. Such is the world today, folks....


I know a PhD physicist from Russia who managed a trucking fleet in Serbia before he came to Canada to be a professor. It certainly happens, I suppose.

I wonder if he's obsessed about oils as we are.

 

[morris]

many years ago a friend was putting a rebuilt engine to geather. useing a Comp Cams cam. he ask me to come over and dial in the cam. after spending 20 min, it was clear that the cam wasnt just close, it was dead on. right to the .001

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: morris
many years ago a friend was putting a rebuilt engine to geather. useing a Comp Cams cam. he ask me to come over and dial in the cam. after spending 20 min, it was clear that the cam wasnt just close, it was dead on. right to the .001

Sounds like a very well-made example. I wonder if they build their cams to that same standard today.

 

[ls1mike]

Sure do! I have a custom grind in the Trans Am from them. I wanted it to start making more torque below 3000 rpm. Basically I wanted to move the torque down in the power band but still do OK up top. They made me a very nice came that has been in the car now for 40,000 miles. Quality stuff.

 

[Cujet]

Very interesting.

I was involved in the Ford 2.3L turbocharged Mustang SVO camshaft's initial design, way back in the stone ages. My company and I worked with 3 Ford engineers, a dyno team and a local cam grinder. The level of detail involved was impressive. As was the quality of the individuals.

While we were not trying to achieve long service life from our prototype cams, we did take steps to do it right, every time. If I remember correctly, there was just shy of 150 different camshafts tried. Some of which we ended up using personally, and in our race engines.

It's easy to discount the development effort of such a simple part.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Hate to say it, but....

This guy is probalby a nuclear scientist who would much rather be working in his field. He probably ISN'T because of the current job market. He probably took the comp cams job because it was somewhere he could earn a good paycheck and make some use of his expensive degree.

If you asked him, I don't think he gives a heck about who he's working for, it's just a good paycheck to him. Such is the world today, folks....


Quote:
Billy Godbold of COMP Cams is a widely regarded, top camshaft designer in the industry.


I've read about that name off and on throughout the years. I'm pretty sure he's been there a while and not just because of "today's job market".

 

[morris]

" I wonder if they build their cams to that same standard today.
" they would be crazy not to.