Wexmar provides CNC machining for industrial automation companies, special machine builders and integrators from our shop in Canastota, New York. As an industrial automation machine shop, we machine the custom components that go into assembly cells, test stands, conveyors, press lines and special machines: shafts, bearing blocks, fixture plates, locating pins, cam plates, manifolds and brackets. We work from your drawings or models and support one-off machine builds as well as recurring production of standard modules.
What industrial automation buyers order from a machine shop
A custom machine is a mix of purchased components and machined parts that tie them together. The machined side typically includes:
- Fixture and nest plates with dowel holes, tapped patterns and pockets for part location.
- Locating pins, bushings and rest buttons that set part position repeatably.
- Shafts, rollers and idlers for conveyors and transfer mechanisms.
- Bearing blocks, pillow block adapters and motor mounts.
- Pneumatic manifolds and air blocks with cross-drilled ports.
- Cam plates, slides and stops for indexing and actuation.
- Brackets, spacers and adapter plates for sensors, cylinders and guards.
Materials common to automation components
Aluminum 6061-T6 is the workhorse for plates, brackets and manifolds, and MIC-6 cast tooling plate is used where flatness matters. Carbon and alloy steels such as 1018, 1045 and 4140 cover shafts, rollers and wear parts, while tool steels such as O1 and A2 are used for locating pins and wear pads, hardened through qualified outside processors. Stainless 303 and 416 serve small hardware, and engineered plastics such as acetal, UHMW and PEEK are used for part contact pads and guides that must not mark the product. Our materials page covers each grade.
Tolerances, finishes and documentation
Automation parts are judged by how well they locate other parts. Typical callouts include ±.0005 in. on dowel and locating pin holes, ±.0002 in. on ground locating pin diameters, flatness of .001 in. on fixture plates, and ±.005 in. on general features. Bearing bores are commonly held at +.0005/-.0000 in. Anodize, black oxide, nitriding and heat treat are handled through qualified outside processors.
Most machine builders need a certificate of conformance and dimensional results on critical features. CMM reports, material certs and first article inspection in AS9102 format are available when requested. Our inspection runs on NIST-traceable CMMs under an ISO 9001:2015-aligned quality system.
Quantity patterns: one-off builds and standard modules
Special machine work is mostly low quantity. A new machine build may call for 1 to 4 of each of 50 to 200 unique parts, all needed on the same date for assembly. Integrators with standard modules reorder 10 to 200 pieces of repeat part numbers. Spare parts for installed machines come in small lots throughout the year. We quote complete kits by part number and deliver them together, so assembly can start on schedule.
How our floor handles CNC machining for industrial automation
Horizontal milling for plates, blocks and manifolds
Six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers, including Mazak FH4800, PFH4800, Nexus 4000-II and Nexus 5000-II models, run 3- and 4-axis horizontal milling. Manifolds and bearing blocks can be machined on several faces in one setup, which holds hole-to-hole relationships. See our CNC milling page.
Turning and Swiss
Ten CNC lathes with live tooling and Y-axis produce shafts, rollers and hubs complete. Four Maier MLK-32 Swiss machines make locating pins, bushings and small spacers to 32 mm diameter.
Grinding and inspection
A surface grinder finishes fixture plates and wear pads flat, a centerless grinder finishes pin diameters, and two Brown & Sharpe CMMs verify hole positions. You can see the full equipment list on our machine list.
Typical automation parts, materials and tolerances
| Part | Common material | Typical tolerance | Primary process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixture plate | MIC-6, 6061-T6 | .001 in. flatness, ±.0005 in. dowels | Horizontal milling, surface grind |
| Locating pin | O1, A2 hardened | ±.0002 in. OD | Swiss or lathe, grind |
| Conveyor roller | 1045, 6061-T6 | ±.001 in. | Lathe |
| Air manifold | 6061-T6 | ±.002 in. port position | 4-axis horizontal milling |
| Bearing block | 1018, 6061-T6 | +.0005/-.0000 in. bore | Horizontal milling |
| Contact pad | Acetal, UHMW | ±.005 in. | Horizontal milling |
Getting a quote
Send a drawing package or STEP files with a parts list, quantities and your assembly date. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. For industrial automation parts, call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern, or email ron@backwell.com.