Turbine Blade Manufacturing & Machining
We machine turbine and compressor rotor blades, stator vanes and airfoils. Airfoils, platforms, shrouds, and dovetail or fir-tree roots are cut with simultaneous 5-axis milling from bar, forgings or near-net blanks.
Short answer: Yes, we machine turbine rotor blades, compressor blades and stator vanes. We 5-axis mill the airfoil, platform, shroud and dovetail or fir-tree root from Inconel, titanium or stainless steel, in prototype, replacement and production quantities.
Blades and vanes we machine
Turbine rotor blades are the individual airfoils fixed to a rotor disk with dovetail or fir-tree roots. Stator vanes are the fixed airfoils between rotor stages. Both need accurate airfoil shapes, smooth surfaces, and roots that seat correctly in the disk. That last point sets both safety and balance.
- Steam turbine blades, both moving and stationary
- Gas turbine and compressor blades and vanes
- Turbocharger and expander blades
- Fan, blower and pump blades
- Replacement and spare blades to customer drawings or models
| Turbine blade capability | |
|---|---|
| Process | Simultaneous 5-axis airfoil milling, root form milling, platform and shroud milling |
| Machines | Kitamura HX500 5-axis HMC · 9-axis mill-turns for round and pinned features |
| Root types | Dovetail, fir-tree, T-root, pinned |
| Materials | Inconel 718/625, Ti-6Al-4V, 17-4 PH, 13-8, 316L stainless |
| Stock | Bar, forgings or near-net blanks, customer-supplied or sourced by us with certs |
| Batch size | Single blades through full stage sets |
| Documentation | FAI, heat-lot traceability, certificate of conformance |
What gets a blade right
- Root and airfoil from the same datums. We cut as much as possible in one clamping so the airfoil sits where the root says it should.
- Stiff workholding. The blade is held at both ends on extra stock that is removed last, so the thin airfoil stays supported.
- Smooth 5-axis motion. Continuous tool-axis control gives an even surface on the pressure and suction faces and clean edges.
- Profile checked on the machine. Airfoil and root are inspected with the built-in probing system while the blade is still in its setup, so any correction happens before it comes off.
- Set consistency. The same program, tools and setup sheet are used on every blade in a stage set, which matters for balance and weight matching.
What to send
- STEP model and drawing for each blade or vane
- Material spec and blank type
- Quantity per stage and total
- Edge, finish, weight or moment-weight requirements
Related: Blisk machining · Bling machining · Materials
Frequently asked questions
Can JEP Manufacturing machine turbine blades?
Yes. We machine steam and gas turbine rotor blades, compressor blades and stator vanes to print using simultaneous 5-axis milling. We work in Inconel, Waspaloy, Nimonic and other superalloys, Ti-6Al-4V, and 17-4 PH, 13-8 and 316L stainless steel.
Do you manufacture turbine blades from start to finish?
Yes. We buy the bar, forging or blank with mill test reports (or use your material), program and 5-axis machine the airfoil, platform and root, and inspect the profile. Every blade ships with heat-lot traceability and a certificate of conformance.
What blade features do you machine?
The airfoil (pressure and suction sides, leading and trailing edges), platforms, tip shrouds and Z-notches, and the root, whether dovetail, fir-tree or pinned. Roots and airfoils are machined in as few setups as possible to keep them in position relative to each other.
Do you machine replacement blades for older turbines?
Yes, when the customer supplies a drawing or 3D model. Replacement and spare blades for steam turbines, compressors and industrial gas turbines are a good fit for small and medium batch sizes.
How do you hold thin airfoils during machining?
Blades are usually machined from bar or a blank with extra stock at the tip and root ends, so the part can be held at both ends and kept stiff while the airfoil is cut. The extra stock is removed at the end. Cut order and stepdown are planned to keep deflection and chatter under control near the thin edges.
Have a print or a STEP model?
Send it over. We review every RFQ by hand and include a lead time with every quote.