Wexmar provides CNC machining for packaging machinery builders and the plants that run their equipment. From our shop in Canastota, New York, we machine change parts, star wheels, timing screw blanks, shafts, cams, gripper components, guides and spare parts for fillers, cappers, labelers, cartoners, case packers and palletizers. As a packaging machinery machine shop, we work in stainless, aluminum and engineered plastics, from single replacement parts to production runs for machine builds.
What packaging machinery buyers order from a machine shop
Packaging lines switch between formats and run at high cycle rates, so they consume change parts and wear parts steadily. Typical parts include:
- Change parts such as star wheels, center guides, pocket plates and format parts for new bottle and container sizes.
- Shafts, spindles and hubs for capping heads, turrets and drive trains.
- Cams and cam followers for indexing and timing mechanisms.
- Gripper fingers, vacuum manifolds and pick-and-place tooling.
- Guides, wear strips and rails in UHMW and acetal.
- Filler valve components, nozzles and fittings in stainless.
- Brackets, mounting blocks and adjustment hardware for machine frames.
Materials common to packaging machinery
Aluminum 6061-T6 is used for brackets, plates and many change parts, often with hard anodize applied through qualified outside processors. Stainless 303, 304 and 316 cover washdown and product-contact parts, and 17-4 PH serves shafts and pins that need strength. Engineered plastics such as UHMW, acetal (Delrin), nylon and PEEK are common for star wheels, guides and wear parts because they are light, quiet and easy on containers. Alloy steels such as 4140 appear in cams and drive components with heat treat through outside processors. See our materials page for grade notes.
Tolerances, finishes and documentation
Packaging parts must repeat from one set to the next so format changeovers go in without adjustment. Typical callouts include ±.001 in. on locating bores and dowel holes, ±.002 to ±.005 in. on pocket profiles, and ±.0005 in. on bearing fits and shaft diameters. Plastic parts need allowance for thermal movement, and we review tolerances on large UHMW parts at quote. Product-contact stainless surfaces typically call for 32 Ra or finer.
Documentation usually consists of dimensional inspection results, material certs and a certificate of conformance. CMM reports and first article inspection in AS9102 format are available when the machine builder requires them. Our quality system is ISO 9001:2015-aligned.
Quantity patterns: change parts, spares and builds
Packaging work comes in distinct patterns:
- Change part sets: one set per new container size, often 5 to 40 unique parts with matching dimensions.
- Wear and spare parts: 2 to 50 pieces of grippers, guides, cams and nozzles.
- OEM machine builds: 10 to 500 pieces per part number across a build schedule.
- Emergency replacements: single parts to restart a line.
We keep programs on file for repeat change parts so a second set matches the first. For a new container, send the container drawing or a sample along with the change part drawings, since pocket geometry depends on the container's actual dimensions. If the line runs several formats, quoting the full family at once usually shortens lead time, because common hubs, shafts and hardware can run together.
How our floor handles CNC machining for packaging machinery
Horizontal milling for change parts and blocks
Six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers run 3- and 4-axis horizontal milling on star wheels, pocket plates, brackets and manifolds. Pallet changers let one set load while another cuts. See our CNC milling page.
Turning shafts, hubs and cams
Ten CNC lathes with live tooling and Y-axis turn shafts, spindles and hubs, then add keyways, cross holes and flats in the same setup.
Swiss and grinding
Four Maier MLK-32 Swiss machines produce filler nozzles, pins and small fittings to 32 mm diameter, and centerless and surface grinders finish shaft diameters and wear faces.
Typical packaging machinery parts, materials and tolerances
| Part | Common material | Typical tolerance | Primary process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star wheel | UHMW, acetal | ±.005 in. pockets, ±.001 in. bore | Horizontal milling |
| Capper spindle | 17-4 PH, 303 | ±.0005 in. bearing seats | Lathe, centerless grind |
| Indexing cam | 4140 | ±.001 in. profile | Horizontal milling |
| Filler nozzle | 316 | ±.001 in. | Swiss |
| Guide rail | UHMW | ±.010 in. length | Horizontal milling |
| Gripper finger | 6061-T6, PEEK | ±.002 in. | Horizontal milling |
Getting a quote
Send drawings or STEP files for the part or change part set, with container details if pockets are involved, and your quantity. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. For packaging machinery parts, call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern, or email ron@backwell.com.