Wexmar provides CNC machining for hydraulics and fluid power manufacturers, cylinder builders, valve makers and system integrators from our shop in Canastota, New York. Fluid power is one of our core industrial markets. As a hydraulic machine shop, we machine manifolds, cylinder glands, pistons, rod ends, end caps, adapters, fittings and valve components in steel, aluminum, stainless and brass. Our horizontal machining centers handle multi-face manifold blocks, and our lathes and Swiss machines produce the turned parts that go into cylinders, valves and fittings.
What hydraulics and fluid power buyers order from a machine shop
Hydraulic and pneumatic systems are built from ported blocks and turned parts that must seal at pressure. Typical requirements include:
- Manifolds and valve bodies with cross-drilled passages, cartridge cavities and SAE, BSPP or metric ports.
- Cylinder components such as glands, pistons, end caps, rod eyes and clevises.
- Fittings and adapters with SAE straight-thread O-ring boss, JIC, ORFS and NPT ends.
- Valve spools, sleeves and poppets with ground diameters.
- Pump and motor components such as shafts, end plates and bushings.
- Pneumatic manifolds, cylinder heads and air fittings.
- Mounting brackets, trunnions and pivot pins.
Materials common to fluid power parts
Steel is the default for high-pressure hydraulics. 12L14 and 1018 are common for fittings and adapters, 1045 and 4140 for pistons, glands and rod ends, and steel plate for heavy manifolds. Aluminum 6061-T6 and 6262 serve lower-pressure and mobile manifolds and pneumatic components, often anodized through qualified outside processors. Stainless 303, 304 and 316 are chosen for corrosive or washdown environments and marine hydraulics. Brass is common in pneumatic fittings and low-pressure valves, and bronze in bushings. Engineered plastics such as acetal and PTFE appear in wear bands and guides. See our materials page for notes by grade.
Tolerances, finishes and documentation
Fluid power parts must seal and slide. Typical callouts include ±.0005 in. or tighter on spool and bore diameters, O-ring gland dimensions to the seal manufacturer's recommendations, port spot faces with surface finish of 63 Ra or finer, and port positions at ±.005 in. true position. Cartridge valve cavities are form-tooled to the cavity standard on the drawing, and cross-drilled intersections must be free of burrs that could damage seals or contaminate the system. Zinc plating, phosphate, anodize, nitriding and heat treat are performed through qualified outside processors.
Documentation typically includes material certs, dimensional inspection and a certificate of conformance. CMM reports and first article inspection in AS9102 format are available for new part numbers or when the customer requires them. Our quality system is ISO 9001:2015-aligned, with NIST-traceable CMMs.
Quantity patterns: prototype, production and replacement
Fluid power OEMs release production lots of 100 to 5,000 pieces per part number for fittings, glands and pistons, and 25 to 500 for manifolds. New system development calls for prototype manifolds and cylinder parts in lots of 1 to 10. Repair shops and equipment owners order replacement glands, pistons and rod ends in small lots. We keep programs on file for repeat part numbers and can hold material for scheduled releases.
How our floor handles CNC machining for hydraulics and fluid power
Horizontal milling for manifolds
Six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers, including Mazak FH4800 and Nexus 5000-II models, run 3- and 4-axis horizontal milling. Manifolds on a tombstone can be drilled and ported from four sides in one setup, which keeps passages aligned and cuts handling. Chips fall clear of deep ports on a horizontal spindle. See our CNC milling page.
Turning cylinder parts and fittings
Ten CNC lathes with live tooling and Y-axis turn glands, pistons, end caps and rod ends, then add cross holes, wrench flats and spanner holes in the same setup. Our CNC turning page has details.
Swiss and grinding
Four Maier MLK-32 Swiss machines produce fittings, poppets and small spools to 32 mm diameter, with lights-out capability for production counts. A centerless grinder finishes spool and pin diameters.
Typical hydraulic parts, materials and tolerances
| Part | Common material | Typical tolerance | Primary process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic manifold | 6061-T6, steel plate | ±.005 in. port position | 4-axis horizontal milling |
| Cylinder gland | 1045, 4140 | ±.001 in., seal grooves to spec | Lathe with live tooling |
| Piston | 1045, 1018 | ±.001 in. OD | Lathe |
| ORB adapter | 12L14, 316 | SAE J1926 port, class 2A threads | Swiss or lathe |
| Valve spool | 4140, 17-4 PH | ±.0002 in. lands | Lathe, centerless grind |
| Rod eye | 1045, 4140 | ±.001 in. bore | Lathe, horizontal milling |
Getting a quote
Send drawings or STEP files, port standards, quantities and finish requirements. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. For hydraulics and fluid power parts, call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern, or email ron@backwell.com.