Bling Machining
We machine blings, also called bladed rings or integrally bladed rings, with simultaneous 5-axis milling. Airfoil rows are cut directly into a ring from titanium, Inconel or stainless steel.
Short answer: Yes, we machine blings (bladed rings and vane rings) to print. We 5-axis mill the airfoils into a ring of titanium, Inconel or stainless steel, using fixturing designed to keep the thin ring round and stable while we cut. Shop in Houston, Texas; customers nationwide.
What is a bling?
A bling, short for bladed ring, takes the blisk idea one step further. The blades are integral to a ring instead of a full disk, so the heavy disk web and bore are gone. The result is one of the lightest rotor designs there is, and it's used in advanced compressor stages. In industrial and power-generation equipment, the same idea appears as integrally machined vane rings and nozzle rings.
The engineering problem is stiffness. A ring is far less rigid than a disk, so the part wants to move under clamping and cutting forces. Good results come from three things working together: fixtures, toolpaths and the order the blades are cut in.
| Bling / bladed ring capability | |
|---|---|
| Process | Ring turned on 9-axis mill-turn, then simultaneous 5-axis airfoil milling |
| Machines | Kitamura HX500 (5-axis) · Mori Seiki NT4200 DCG (ring turning) |
| Envelope | 5-axis Ø31.5 in × 43.5 in · turning to Ø26 in |
| Part types | Bladed rings, vane rings, nozzle rings, stator rings |
| Materials | Ti-6Al-4V, Inconel 718/625, 17-4 PH, 13-8, 316L, aluminum |
| Quantities | Prototype through production |
| Documentation | FAI, heat-lot traceability, certificate of conformance |
How we machine bladed rings
Datum-true ring
The ring ID, OD and faces are turned first, in as few clampings as possible. That gives every blade the same reference.
Support-first fixturing
Fixtures support the ring around its whole circumference and spread out the clamping load, so the ring stays round under cutting forces.
Balanced cut order
Blades are roughed in an alternating pattern so stress relieves evenly around the ring. Then they are semi-finished and finished.
5-axis airfoil finishing
Flank or point milling of each airfoil, with smooth tool-axis motion for an even surface finish from blade to blade.
Verified before cutting
Every program runs in a full machine simulation, with collision and reach checks, before the first part is cut.
Documented
First article report, material certs traced to heat lot, and a certificate of conformance with every shipment.
Related: Blisk machining · Turbine blade machining · 9-axis mill-turn · Request a quote
Frequently asked questions
What is a bling?
A bling (bladed ring) is a turbomachinery part where a row of blades is integral to a ring instead of a full disk. Removing the disk web and bore saves a lot of weight compared with a blisk. Blings are used in advanced compressor stages, often with a composite or reinforced ring. The same name is used for metallic integrally bladed rings and stator or vane rings.
How is a bling different from a blisk?
A blisk has blades integral to a full disk with a hub and bore. A bling has blades integral to a ring, with no disk web. On a bling the blades are carried at the outer or inner diameter of a relatively thin ring, so holding the part rigidly is the main machining challenge.
Can JEP Manufacturing machine blings?
Yes. We machine metallic bladed rings and vane rings to print with simultaneous 5-axis milling on our Kitamura HX500 (Ø31.5 in × 43.5 in envelope). Ring datums are turned on our 9-axis mill-turns. We work in titanium, Inconel and stainless steel.
What makes bladed rings difficult to machine?
The ring section is thin, so clamping forces and cutting loads can distort it. Fixture design, how and where the part is supported, and the order the blades are cut in matter as much as the toolpaths. We design the fixturing as part of the quote, not after the order.
Have a print or a STEP model?
Send it over. We review every RFQ by hand and include a lead time with every quote.