Wexmar offers bar-fed turning services for production quantities of pins, shafts, bushings, spacers, fittings, and fasteners. Our Maier MLK-32 Swiss-type lathes run with FMB bar feeders for parts up to 32 mm diameter, and our Mazak and Doosan CNC lathes handle larger turned parts. Buyers looking for bar feeder machining or a bar turning shop near me in Central New York can work directly with our Canastota shop, which ships nationwide by LTL and parcel.
What bar-fed turning is
In bar-fed turning, a length of bar stock is loaded into a bar feeder that pushes it through the spindle of the lathe. The machine turns a part on the end of the bar, cuts it off, and the feeder advances the bar for the next part. This continues until the bar runs out, and the feeder loads the next bar automatically. Because no one has to load a blank for each part, cycle-to-cycle handling disappears and the machine can run for long stretches with little attention. Parts come off consistent because each one is held and cut the same way.
When a buyer needs bar-fed turning
- Repeat production of turned parts in hundreds to many thousands of pieces
- Small and medium diameter parts that start as round, hex, or square bar
- Parts that benefit from extended unattended runs to lower cost per piece
- Blanket orders with scheduled monthly or quarterly releases
- Fasteners, pins, contacts, and fittings with modest material removal
Wexmar equipment for bar work
Our core bar-fed cell is four Maier MLK-32 Swiss-type machines, each paired with an FMB bar feeder, running parts from bar up to 32 mm diameter. The Swiss department is lights-out capable, so proven jobs can continue running after staffed hours. For parts above 32 mm or parts better suited to a conventional lathe, we run on our Mazak Nexus QT200, Nexus 250, Nexus 100-II, 200 MS, Multiplex 6300Y, and Nexus 450-II lathes, our Doosan Lynx 2100A lathes, or the Boss 552, either from bar or from blanks cut on our KASTO saws, depending on the part and how the machine is set up. See our Swiss machining page and the machine list.
Bar-fed versus chucker work
Chucker work loads a pre-cut blank into the chuck for each part. It makes sense for large diameters, forgings, castings, and short runs. Bar-fed work skips the sawing and loading steps and is usually cheaper per piece once quantities climb. Our estimator compares both routes on parts where either would work and quotes the one with the better total cost.
Typical tolerances and finishes
| Feature | Swiss bar-fed (typical) | Lathe (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Outside diameter | ±0.0005 in | ±0.001 in |
| Length | ±0.002 in | ±0.005 in |
| Concentricity / runout | 0.0005 in | 0.001 in |
| Cut-off face finish | 63 Ra, faced if required | 63 Ra, faced if required |
| Turned surface finish | 32 Ra | 63 Ra |
| Threads | Class 2A / 3A by review | Class 2A / 3A by review |
Tighter features are reviewed before quoting. A small cut-off nub or burr is removed per the print, and we note the method on the router.
Materials
Bar work commonly runs in 303, 304, 316, 416, and 17-4 PH stainless, 12L14, 1018, 1144, 4140, and other carbon and alloy steels, brass, bronze, copper, aluminum, and titanium. We also run Nitronic 50, Inconel, Monel, Hastelloy, and engineered plastics. Free-machining grades lower cost when the application allows; we will tell you when a substitute is worth asking your engineer about. Bar is purchased with mill certifications, and DFARS-compliant material is available.
Quantity fit
Bar-fed turning is built for production. It is most efficient from a few hundred pieces upward, and very efficient at annual volumes in the tens of thousands on blanket orders. Short runs can still be bar-fed when the part is small and the setup is simple. Second-shift capacity and Swiss lights-out running help keep releases on schedule. See also high-volume production.
Inspection deliverables
Production runs are checked at first piece, at set intervals, and at the end of each bar or lot, using calibrated micrometers, thread gages, the Mitsubishi optical comparator, and Brown & Sharpe CMMs as the print requires. We provide CMM reports, AS9102-format first articles, material certifications, and heat-lot traceability.
Getting a quote
Send a drawing with material, annual usage, and release quantities so we can price the bar and setup correctly. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. Call (315) 400-2654 or email ron@backwell.com, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern.