Rays Engineering

RAYS Co., Ltd. (株式会社レイズ, Kabushiki-gaisha Reizu) is a high-end Japanese wheel manufacturer for both motorsport and street use. Their flagship brand, Volk Racing wheels, features a high-tech forging process exclusive to Rays Engineering.[3]

RAYS Co., Ltd.
Native name
株式会社レイズ
TypePrivate KK
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1973 (1973)
Headquarters
Higashiosaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture
,
Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Masumi Shiba
(CEO)
Products
  • Automobile wheels
  • Auto accessories
SubsidiariesRays Engineering
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Footnotes / references
[1][2]
Rays produced rear wheel belonging to a Williams Formula One car.

They are the current wheel suppliers to winning factory race teams of Nissan, Honda, Toyota, and Mazda in racing series such as Super GT, Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC), British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Formula Nippon, Formula D, and Formula One.[4] Their Volk Racing wheels are popular with owners of sport compact and import cars on the race and show circuits.

Rays Engineering also manufactures wheels for car manufacturers' in-house tuning teams such as Nismo, Ralliart, STi, Mazdaspeed and Toyota Racing Development and also supply wheels to Williams Formula One team[5] as well as the cars that appeared in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.[6]

History

RAYS was founded in 1973. The company opened a Tokyo sales office in 1980.[7]

In 1981, RAYS established their Racing Division, and the following year, the company opened their Two-Wheel Vehicle Division. In 1984, RAYS Engineering built a new plant in Yao.[7]

In 1986, the company brought in their first 5,500-ton forging press. They later purchased 2 3,500 presses, and in 2004, installed a 10,000-ton forging machine.[7]

In 2007, Rays began supplying wheels to the William F1 team.[7]

Wheel construction

Rays Engineering wheels are manufactured through two different processes: forging and casting. After each wheel is manufactured, the wheel goes through strenuous inspection before being packaged and shipped out. The following is a video showing each manufacturing process of a Rays Engineering wheel: Rays Engineering Manufacturing Process.

Forging

The forging process for a Rays Wheel consists of seven steps:

  1. Hot Forging – Takes a billet and creates metal lines through volume distribution with a hot press.
  2. RM Forging – Forging method exclusively developed Rays Engineering. Finishing of designed parts on the wheel is completed during this process.
  3. Cold Spinning – Width of wheel is constructed during this process with a high-speed spinning machine.
  4. Heat Treatment – Wheel is quickly heated then immediately cooled down with a solution to form a strong structure for the wheel.
  5. Machine Work – Special cutting device used to improve roundness of the wheel.
  6. Shot Blast – This process smooths the surface of the wheel to prepare of aesthetic finishing.
  7. Surface Finishing – Various chemicals are used to prevent corrosion and protect the surface of the wheel

Types of forged wheels
  • Forged 1 Piece Magnesium
  • Forged 1 Piece Aluminum
  • Forged (Seamless) Rim 2 Piece Wheel Aluminum

Casting

The casting process for a Rays Wheel consists of four steps:

  1. Fusion – Aluminum metal is heated up into molten liquid.
  2. Molten Metal Treating – Process of removing impurities from molten aluminum. Molten aluminum with no impurities are moved into a holding furnace.
  3. Casting – Molten aluminum is poured into a die to form the wheel.
  4. Machine Work – Various chemicals are used to prevent corrosion and protect the surface of the wheel

Types of cast wheels
  • Cast 1 Piece Aluminum
  • RCF (Rays Cast Flow Forming) Casting 1 Piece Aluminum

Product lineup
  • Volk Racing – Flagship forged sport wheels brand name of Rays Engineering.
  • Gram Lights – Lightweight wheels manufactured through casting process.
  • Eco Drive Gear – Lightweight wheels focused on being eco friendly.
  • 57 Motor Sport – Cast racing wheels used in World Touring Car Championship and British Touring Car Championship.
  • Versus – Fashion brand of wheels with influences from European styling.
  • G-Games – Wheels used in the JDM scene with influences from American styling.
  • Daytona – Performance wheels produced for Japanese Kei car.
  • Black Fleet – Japan's dress-up culture for the sedan scene brings the newest design with a tuner taste.
  • Garcia – Wheels bringing in the latest design trends for vans and Kei car.
  • A/X RePLA/Y – The Arthur Exchange brand is revamped from 2010 with fresh new design wheels.
  • Vesta
  • Sebring – also the Japanese distributor for its exhaust pipes

References
  1. "Company Profile". RAYS. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  2. "Company Overview of Rays Co., Ltd". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  3. Enrico Miguel Subido (March 5, 2018). "What makes Volk Racing's TE37 wheels legendary?". Top Gear Philippines. Summit Media. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  4. "Nexen partners with Rays wheels at N.Y. show". Tire Business. Crain Communications. April 17, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  5. "Williams F1". www.attwilliams.com. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  6. "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) — Trivia". IMDb. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  7. "RAYS - The concept is racing". www.rayswheels.co.jp. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
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