2009
2010
Home > IAME/Bruno Grana > History
The IAME factory is located near Bergamo, in the middle of the Milan-Venice axis, the industrial and economic heart of Italy. In spite of the traditional external look of the building, once you enter IAME you find a 9000 square meters modern factory completely dedicated to kart engines and which has just celebrated its 40th year of life.
A true production factory, IAME employs a total of 58 people and manages its manufacturing process as would do any more important respectable manufacturer in the automobile world.
The factory is divided in several Departments, everything starts with a project in the Technical Dept.with highly professional designers using a 3 dimensional CAD/CAM Software for structural calculations. Then you find the Research and Development Department, where IAME invests on a yearly basis, a huge portion of its profits. The highly skilled technicians build and tune the prototypes looking for higher and higher performance on three dyno benches but always keeping in mind the traditional reliability of the IAME engines. Now we come to the Manufacturing Department which covers the major surface area of the factory. IAME uses the most modern tooling and machining which guarantees and allows the internal manufacturing and control of all engines components. In addition to CNC controlled lathes and to CNC machining centers working on 3 and 5 axis, also internal and external grinding machines on 2/3 axis are available. Every machine is computer controlled and the finishing is checked and automatically corrected so that the crankshafts and con-rods, IAME's strong points, are always of the best possible quality.
The cylinder internal boring and polishing is performed on single spindle vertical and horizontal boring and honing machines. Most of the Production Depts. are automated thus guaranteeing the highest possible precision and repeatibility.
Now we come to the Control Dept, a key department in IAME. Every external component(pistons, ignitions etc..) and all production lots are strictly controlled with the highest precision. The endoscope checks the internal surface finishing of the con-rods while projectors check the finishing of toothing.
The Control Dept. is also equipped with microscopes to check material structures and a microdurometer to check the surface hardness after heat treatment processes.
Each manufactured lot is carefully identified and marked so that tracing of eventual faulty component is possible.
The engines are then assembled on four assembly lines and, when completed, go to the warehouse. A few engines are picked from each lot and sent to the R&D Dept. for testing and confirm the performance. We already mentioned the test beds in the department. Three tests beds are available: one of these is used for the run-in of all engines from the Racing Dept.. Unfortunately, during our visit, no dyno was in operation because all of the personnel from the R&D Dept. was out involved in the first WSK race of the season. So this is why there is no secret to be disclosed. In the warehouse, the general stock of spare parts is impressive and we are sure that we can find whatever necessary to repair or maintain each engine since the creation of the brand. At last the Shipment Dept. with five people. The factory manufactures more than 5000 engines /year with a product slate which includes more than 30 models.
It is strange to us but it seems that each country (or ASN) has its own preference in terms of engines. As a French I could recognize the FFSA (100cc) which is well-known to us, together with the Minime / Cadet engines, the X30 engines, and of course, the full range of Parilla engines (from 60cc to 125cc). I could also see the Leopard engine which is no longer used in France but which is actually used in the U.S.
At present, France has more confidence in the X30 engines.
Initially the history of IAME interlaces with that of the famous motorcycle Parilla, manufactured by Giovanni Parrilla who, back in 1959 entrusted to Bruno Grana the Export Dept. During his trips to the United States, Bruno Grana discovered what was karting and immediately perceived its potentials. Back to Italy, he then convinced Giovanni Parrilla to enter this market under the brand Parilla which now belongs to IAME. Bruno Grana , who passed away in 2005, marketed the first kart racing engines. From the V11 to the GP15 which won the first World Championship. Each engine was created by the genius of Cesare Bossaglia. Back in 1962 Bruno Grana then founded the Komet Company and again, Mr. Bossaglia designed the first Komet K12. In 1968 Bruno Grana founds IAME which means "Italian American Motor Engineering" which now highlights the fact that the first market for kart engines was the U.S. where everything started.
From 1968 IAME has continuously grown under the management of his owner Bruno Grana. During the following years, IAME acquired two other very important brands, at the time, Sirio (1975) and BM (1976). IAME which still is the world leader in kart engines has an impressive network of Importers in five continents. Although an industry magnate, Bruno Grana was also a real "sporstman" passionate as are his successors. So, no doubt, IAME has still many glorious pages to write.
The philosophy and mission of IAME can be summarized in three points: