Wexmar provides CNC machining for HVAC and refrigeration equipment makers, component suppliers and service organizations from our shop in Canastota, New York. As an HVAC machine shop, we produce brass and copper fittings, valve bodies, sensor wells, compressor shafts and bushings, manifold blocks and mounting hardware for heating, cooling, commercial refrigeration and heat pump systems. Our Swiss and turning capacity suits the small, high-count fittings this industry uses, and our horizontal machining centers handle blocks and bodies.
What HVAC and refrigeration buyers order from a machine shop
Refrigerant circuits, hydronic loops and air handling equipment all rely on machined components. Typical parts include:
- Flare, braze and threaded fittings in brass and copper.
- Valve bodies and stems for service valves, check valves and expansion valves.
- Compressor components such as shafts, bushings, spacers and valve plates.
- Sensor wells and thermowells for temperature and pressure measurement.
- Manifold and distributor blocks with multiple ports.
- Fan hubs, shaft adapters and bearing housings for air handling equipment.
- Brackets and mounting hardware for coils, controls and motors.
Materials common to HVAC and refrigeration parts
Brass is the default for fittings and valve bodies, with C360 free-machining brass common and forging brass used where the part design calls for it. Copper C110 and C122 appear in braze fittings and refrigerant connections. Aluminum 6061-T6 is used for manifolds, fan hubs and brackets. Carbon and alloy steels such as 1045 and 4140 serve compressor and fan shafts, and 303, 304 and 316 stainless are chosen for thermowells, sensor wells and hardware exposed to condensate or corrosive environments. Bronze serves bushings, and engineered plastics such as acetal and PTFE are used for seals and insulating parts. Our materials page has notes by grade.
Tolerances, finishes and documentation
HVAC and refrigeration parts must seal. Typical callouts include flare seats and sealing faces with surface finish of 32 Ra or finer, ±.001 in. on sealing diameters and O-ring grooves, ±.0005 in. on compressor shaft bearing journals, and threads to SAE flare, NPT or straight-thread standards. Port positions on manifolds are typically held to ±.002 in. Cleanliness and freedom from chips inside ports is critical for refrigerant systems, and internal deburr requirements are reviewed at quote. Plating, leak testing and specialty cleaning, where specified, are handled through qualified outside processors.
Documentation usually includes material certs, dimensional inspection results and a certificate of conformance. CMM reports and first article inspection in AS9102 format are available for OEM programs. Our quality system is ISO 9001:2015-aligned.
Quantity patterns: prototype, production and service
HVAC OEMs typically release production lots of 1,000 to 20,000 fittings or valve parts per release, with seasonal peaks ahead of cooling and heating seasons. New equipment development calls for prototype lots of 5 to 50 pieces. Service organizations and building owners order small lots of replacement parts for older or specialized equipment, including commercial refrigeration and chiller components. We keep programs on file so seasonal releases repeat without new setup charges on stable part numbers.
How our floor handles CNC machining for HVAC and refrigeration
Swiss turning for fittings and stems
Four Maier MLK-32 Swiss-type machines with FMB bar feeders produce brass fittings, valve stems and small sensor wells to 32 mm diameter. The machines are lights-out capable, which suits high-count fittings. See our Swiss machining page.
Turning with live tooling
Ten CNC lathes with live tooling and Y-axis produce larger valve bodies, thermowells, compressor shafts and fan hubs, adding side ports and wrench flats in one setup.
Horizontal milling
Six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers run 3- and 4-axis horizontal milling on manifold blocks, distributor bodies and brackets, drilling ports from several faces in one setup so intersections line up.
Typical HVAC and refrigeration parts, materials and tolerances
| Part | Common material | Typical tolerance | Primary process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flare fitting | Brass C360 | SAE flare threads, 32 Ra seat | Swiss |
| Service valve body | Brass | ±.001 in. sealing bore | Lathe with live tooling |
| Compressor shaft | 4140, 1045 | ±.0005 in. journals | Lathe, centerless grind |
| Thermowell | 316, 304 | ±.002 in. bore | Lathe or Swiss |
| Manifold block | 6061-T6, brass | ±.002 in. port position | 4-axis horizontal milling |
| Fan hub | 6061-T6, steel | ±.0005 in. bore | Lathe |
Getting a quote
Send drawings or STEP files, annual and per-release quantities, and any cleanliness or testing requirements. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. For HVAC and refrigeration parts, call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern, or email ron@backwell.com.