Wexmar provides CNC machining for pumps and valves, serving pump and valve manufacturers, repair centers and distributors from our shop in Canastota, New York. Pumps and fluid handling are among our core industrial markets. As a pump and valve machine shop, we turn and mill shafts, sleeves, wear rings, impeller hubs, valve stems, seats, bonnets, glands and bushings in stainless, precipitation-hardening grades, high-nickel alloys and bronze. We supply OEM production lots, repair and rebuild parts, and short runs for custom and engineered valves.
What pump and valve buyers order from a machine shop
Pumps and valves combine rotating or sliding parts with sealing surfaces, and both wear over time. Typical parts include:
- Pump shafts with bearing journals, seal seats, keyways and threaded ends.
- Shaft sleeves, wear rings and case rings that protect the shaft and set running clearance.
- Impeller hubs, spacers and lock nuts.
- Valve stems for gate, globe, ball, needle and control valves.
- Seats, discs, plugs and cages for valve trim.
- Bonnets, glands, packing followers and yoke bushings.
- Bearing housings, seal housings and adapters machined from bar or plate.
Materials common to pump and valve parts
Fluid, pressure and temperature decide the material. 316 and 316L stainless are standard for wetted parts in water and chemical service. 17-4 PH and 410 stainless are used for shafts and stems that need strength and hardness. Nitronic 50 is a frequent choice for valve stems and pump shafts because of its galling resistance and corrosion resistance. Monel 400 and K-500 serve seawater and some chemical applications, and Hastelloy C-276 and Inconel 625 cover aggressive chemical service. Bronze and aluminum bronze are common for wear rings and bushings, and engineered plastics such as PTFE and PEEK serve seats and seals. Our materials page covers each alloy.
Tolerances, finishes and documentation
Pump and valve tolerances center on running clearances and seal surfaces. Typical callouts include ±.0005 in. on bearing and seal journals, wear ring diameters held to set a specific running clearance with the impeller, seat bores at ±.001 in., and surface finish of 8 to 32 Ra on seal and packing surfaces. Shaft runout is commonly limited to .001 to .002 in. total indicated runout. Hard facing, hard chrome, nitriding, heat treat and plating are performed through qualified outside processors, with final grinding in-house where the drawing requires it.
Documentation on pump and valve orders typically includes:
- Mill material certs with heat-lot traceability to each part lot.
- Dimensional results on critical features and CMM reports on request.
- First article inspection in AS9102 format for new part numbers.
- Certificate of conformance and outside processor certs.
Quantity patterns: OEM production and repair
Pump and valve OEMs release production lots of 50 to 2,000 pieces per part number, often on annual blanket orders with scheduled releases. Repair centers and rebuild shops order 1 to 10 replacement parts, sometimes oversized or undersized to fit worn mating parts. Engineered valve makers order short runs of 5 to 50 for project-specific designs. We quote all three and hold material by heat lot for repeat OEM parts.
How our floor handles CNC machining for pumps and valves
Turning shafts, sleeves and stems
Ten CNC lathes, including the Mazak Nexus 450-II for larger diameters and the Multiplex 6300Y for complete machining, produce shafts, sleeves, wear rings and stems. Live tooling and Y-axis mill keyways, flats and cross holes in the same setup. See our CNC turning page.
Horizontal milling for bonnets and housings
Six horizontal machining centers with pallet changers run 3- and 4-axis horizontal milling on bonnets, glands, bearing housings and bodies machined from bar.
Swiss, grinding and inspection
Four Maier MLK-32 Swiss machines produce small stems, needles and fittings to 32 mm diameter. A centerless grinder finishes stem and shaft diameters, a surface grinder finishes seat faces, and two Brown & Sharpe CMMs verify concentricity and bore sizes.
Typical pump and valve parts, materials and tolerances
| Part | Common material | Typical tolerance | Primary process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pump shaft | 17-4 PH, 316 | ±.0005 in. journals, .001 in. TIR | Lathe, centerless grind |
| Shaft sleeve | 316, Nitronic 50 | ±.0005 in. OD, 16 Ra | Lathe |
| Wear ring | Bronze, 410 | Diameter to set running clearance | Lathe |
| Valve stem | Nitronic 50, 17-4 PH | ±.0005 in., 8 to 16 Ra | Lathe or Swiss, grind |
| Valve seat | 316, Hastelloy C-276 | ±.001 in. bore | Lathe |
| Bonnet | 316, 4140 | ±.001 in. bore, class 2 threads | Lathe, horizontal milling |
Getting a quote
Send drawings, material specification, quantities and any fit notes for worn mating parts. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and a human estimator confirms every quote. For pump and valve parts, call (315) 400-2654, Monday through Friday, 7 to 4 Eastern, or email ron@backwell.com.