Method and system for manufacturing a cylinder head

A method for machining a cylinder head having a top surface and a bottom surface, the method comprising:

• loading a cylinder head into a first five axis computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine;
• locating a first fixture of the first CNC machine with respect to cylinder head cast locators against the top surface of the cylinder head such that the cylinder head is in a horizontal position with the top surface of the cylinder head being clamped against the first fixture;
• probing cast locators of the bottom surface of the cylinder head with the first CNC machine in order to orient the bottom surface of the cylinder head perpendicular to a spindle of the first CNC machine;
• probing combustion chamber buttons of the bottom surface of the cylinder head with the first CNC machine in order to orient the bottom surface of the cylinder head to equalize depth of the combustion chamber buttons;
• machining the bottom surface of the cylinder head with the spindle of the first CNC machine as a function of the depth of the combustion chamber buttons while the cylinder head is in the horizontal position;
• locating a second fixture of the first CNC machine with respect to manufacturing holes of the bottom surface of the cylinder head against the bottom surface of the cylinder head such that the cylinder head is in a vertical position with the bottom surface of the cylinder head being clamped against the second fixture;
• machining the top surface of the cylinder head with the spindle of the first CNC machine while the cylinder head is in the vertical position;
• moving the cylinder head into a second five axis CNC machine;
• locating a third fixture of the second CNC machine with respect to manufacturing holes of the bottom surface of the cylinder head against the bottom surface of the cylinder head such that cylinder head is in the horizontal position with the bottom surface of the cylinder head being clamped against the third fixture;
• and
• machining the top surface of the cylinder head with a spindle of the second CNC machine while the cylinder head is in the horizontal position.