• Seems like near-net-shape forging would cost less that milling entirely from billet?

    Depends how many you're making. Upfront tooling cost is much higher for forging, but flyaway cost is much lower. Milling starts expensive and unit cost barely comes down however many you make, forging starts ludicrously expensive but the unit cost falls off a cliff once you ramp up the volume.

    L H Thomson are an aerospace subcontractor specialising in milled components, they basically had to invest very little to use spare spindle time to launch a bicycle stem, and could do it in an arbitrarily large range of lengths, angles and clamp diameters without adding to the tooling cost.

  • Wow, I had no idea they produced things for the aerospace industry. According to Wikipedia, 70% of their business is producing aerospace parts. Can’t believe I didn’t know this.
    It explains why they are unlikely to move away from machining then.

  • Especially when they have the brand they do and can charge what they do

    The x2 is an exceedingly good looking stem though, as the Paul boxcar

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