Wexmar provides CNC machining for power generation equipment makers, service companies and plant maintenance buyers from our shop in Canastota, New York. As a power generation machine shop, we machine the hardware that keeps turbines, generators, pumps, valves and switchgear running: bushings, sleeves, pins, studs, valve components, instrument fittings and copper electrical parts. We handle one-off replacement parts during outages as well as recurring production for OEMs.
What power generation buyers order from a machine shop
Power generation spans hydro, gas turbine, steam, wind, solar and battery storage, and each segment buys a slightly different mix of machined parts. Typical requirements include:
- Turbine and generator hardware such as bushings, spacers, dowels, locking hardware and small housings.
- Valve components for steam, feedwater and cooling systems: stems, seats, glands and bonnets.
- Pump shafts, sleeves and wear rings for circulating and boiler feed pumps.
- High-temperature studs, nuts and fasteners in alloy steel and nickel alloys.
- Electrical hardware including copper bus connectors, terminal studs and grounding parts.
- Instrument fittings and sensor housings for monitoring and control.
- Wind and solar hardware such as pins, bushings and mounting components.
Materials common to power generation parts
Steam and turbine hardware commonly uses 410, 416 and 17-4 PH stainless, alloy steels such as 4140 and 4340, and nickel alloys including Inconel 718 for high-temperature fasteners. Pump and valve parts add 316 stainless, Nitronic 50 and Monel. Hydro equipment relies on bronze for bushings and wear parts. Electrical components are machined from copper C110 and brass for conductivity, and engineered plastics such as PEEK and acetal serve as insulators where the drawing allows. Our materials page has more on each grade.
Tolerances, finishes and documentation
Power generation parts typically carry ±.0005 in. on bearing fits and valve sealing diameters, ±.001 in. on bores and hole positions, and ±.005 in. on general features. Sealing faces call for 16 to 32 Ra, and thread classes for studs follow the drawing, often class 2A or 3A. Heat treat, silver and tin plating on electrical parts, and other coatings are performed through qualified outside processors.
Documentation on power generation orders can include:
- Mill material certs with heat-lot traceability to each part.
- CMM reports from NIST-traceable Brown & Sharpe CMMs.
- First article inspection in AS9102 format or your template.
- Certificate of conformance referencing drawing number and revision.
Our quality system is ISO 9001:2015-aligned. If your order carries a utility or OEM quality specification, send it with the request for quote so we can review it before pricing.
Quantity patterns: outage, spares and production
Outage work drives much of this sector. A plant or service contractor may need 1 to 10 replacement parts on a tight schedule while a unit is down. Planned spares programs order 10 to 100 pieces to stock. OEMs building new turbines, generators, inverter skids or storage systems release production lots of a few hundred to a few thousand pieces. We quote each pattern differently and can prioritize outage work when capacity allows, using second-shift time on our floor.
How our floor handles CNC machining for power generation
Turning
Ten CNC lathes, including the Mazak Nexus 450-II for larger diameters and the Multiplex 6300Y for complete machining, produce shafts, bushings, sleeves and studs. Live tooling and Y-axis cut flats, cross holes and slots in the same setup. See our CNC turning page.
Horizontal milling
Six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers run 3- and 4-axis horizontal milling on housings, bus connectors, glands and blocks.
Swiss, grinding and inspection
Four Maier MLK-32 Swiss machines produce instrument fittings, pins and terminal studs to 32 mm diameter. Centerless and surface grinders finish shaft diameters and faces, and two CMMs plus an optical comparator verify the parts. Turning, horizontal milling, Swiss and inspection share one floor, which keeps urgent jobs moving.
Typical power generation parts, materials and tolerances
| Part | Common material | Typical tolerance | Primary process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbine bushing | 410, bronze | ±.0005 in. bore | Lathe |
| Valve stem | 17-4 PH, Nitronic 50 | ±.0005 in., 16 Ra | Lathe, centerless grind |
| High-temperature stud | Inconel 718, 4140 | Class 2A or 3A threads | Lathe |
| Bus connector | Copper C110 | ±.005 in., ±.002 in. holes | Horizontal milling |
| Pump sleeve | 316, Nitronic 50 | ±.0005 in. OD | Lathe, grind |
| Sensor fitting | 316 | ±.001 in. | Swiss |
Getting a quote
Send the drawing or a clear sketch with material, quantity and required date, and note if the part is for an outage. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. For power generation work, call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern, or email ron@backwell.com.