Wexmar provides horizontal machining services on six Mazak horizontal machining centers, each equipped with a pallet changer. Horizontal machining is the backbone of our milling department, and it is how we produce housings, manifolds, pump components, brackets, and other prismatic parts at prototype and production quantities. For buyers looking for an HMC machine shop or horizontal machining near me in the Northeast, our shop is in Canastota, New York, between Syracuse and Utica.
What horizontal machining is
A horizontal machining center, or HMC, holds the spindle parallel to the floor and presents the part on a pallet that rotates. Instead of machining only the top face of a part, the machine indexes the pallet to reach the front, sides, and back in one clamping. Gravity pulls chips away from the cut, coolant flushes cavities clean, and the pallet changer swaps a finished part for a new one in seconds. The result is better feature-to-feature accuracy across faces and more spindle hours per shift.
When a buyer needs horizontal machining
- Parts with features on three or more faces that must relate to each other tightly
- Deep pockets and cavities where chip packing would hurt finish on a vertical mill
- Production volumes where tombstone fixtures hold many parts per pallet
- Cast, forged, or sawn blanks that need multiple faces machined square to each other
- Heavier parts that are easier to load on a pallet than to flip on a table
Horizontal versus vertical machining
Vertical mills are common and inexpensive, and they suit simple one-face parts well. A horizontal machining center costs more per spindle hour, but it usually needs fewer setups, loads the next part while the current one is cut, and holds features on opposite faces to the same datums. For multi-face parts and repeat production, the cost per finished piece from a horizontal milling service is often lower even though the hourly rate is higher. We quote the process that gives the better total result for your part.
Wexmar HMCs
We run two Mazak FH4800 horizontals, a Mazak PFH4800, a Mazak Nexus 4000-II, and two Mazak Nexus 5000-II horizontals, all with pallet changers. The Nexus 4000-II handles compact prismatic parts, the FH4800 and PFH4800 are mid-size production horizontals, and the Nexus 5000-II machines take larger work and heavier tombstones on their larger pallets. Each can run as a 3-axis machine with indexed setups or as a 4-axis machine with rotary pallet motion. Full specifications are on our machine list. For rotary work, see our 4-axis machining page.
Typical tolerances and finishes
| Feature | Typical standard | Typical tight (by review) |
|---|---|---|
| Linear dimensions | ±0.005 in | ±0.001 in |
| Face-to-face relationship across indexes | 0.002 in | 0.0005 to 0.001 in |
| Hole true position | 0.005 in | 0.001 in |
| Bored diameters | ±0.001 in | ±0.0005 in |
| Perpendicularity | 0.002 in | 0.0005 in |
| Surface finish | 63 Ra | 32 Ra |
Values are typical and depend on part geometry, material, and fixture design. We review any feature tighter than the right column before quoting.
Materials for horizontal milling services
Horizontal machining at Wexmar covers aluminum, carbon and alloy steels, 300-series, 400-series, and PH stainless, Nitronic 50, high-nickel alloys such as Inconel, Monel, and Hastelloy, titanium, brass, bronze, copper, and engineered plastics. The rigidity of a horizontal and its chip flow make it well suited to stainless and nickel alloy housings where heat and chip control matter.
A note on 5-axis
We do not operate 5-axis machines. Many parts that buyers send out as 5-axis are multi-face parts that a 4-axis horizontal produces well on a tombstone. If your part needs simultaneous 5-axis contouring, tell us and we will say so directly rather than stretch a process.
Quantity fit
Pallet changers make horizontal machining efficient from the first part. For prototypes we use simple vise or plate fixtures. For production we build dedicated tombstone fixtures that hold multiple parts per pallet face, and second-shift capacity keeps releases on schedule. Lot sizes from a handful to several thousand are typical.
Inspection deliverables
Multi-face parts are verified on our Brown & Sharpe Gage 2000 and Gage ONE CMMs, which report datum-referenced position, profile, and orientation callouts. Deliverables include CMM reports, first article inspection in AS9102 format, material certifications, and heat-lot traceability. See our inspection and quality page for our ISO 9001:2015-aligned system.
Getting a quote
Send a STEP file and drawing with material, quantity, and any finish or plating requirements. 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.