Turbine Impeller Machining
We machine centrifugal and radial impellers for turbines, compressors, turbochargers, expanders and pumps. Open and shrouded designs, full and splitter blades, cut from solid with simultaneous 5-axis milling.
Short answer: Yes. JEP Manufacturing 5-axis machines turbine, compressor and turbocharger impellers from solid. We do open and shrouded designs, with full and splitter blades, in Inconel, titanium, stainless steel and aluminum. One-off prototypes through production, shipped from Houston, Texas to customers nationwide.
What we machine
An impeller is the rotating, bladed wheel of a centrifugal or radial machine. It speeds fluid up and turns its flow outward in a compressor or pump. In a radial turbine or expander wheel, it takes energy out of the flow. Impellers are some of the most common parts machined in 5-axis, and some of the easiest to get wrong. Twisted blades, tight passages and thin edges leave little room for error.
- Centrifugal compressor impellers: process gas, air and refrigeration compressors
- Turbocharger compressor and turbine wheels
- Radial inflow turbine and turboexpander wheels
- Closed (shrouded) impellers machined from solid
- Pump impellers, often with inducers
| Impeller machining capability | |
|---|---|
| Process | Turned blank → 5-axis passage roughing → blade and hub finishing → edges and fillets |
| Machines | Kitamura HX500 5-axis · Mori Seiki NT4200 DCG and NT1000 9-axis mill-turns |
| Envelope | 5-axis Ø31.5 in × 43.5 in · mill-turn to Ø26 in |
| Designs | Open, semi-open, closed/shrouded, splitter blades, backswept blades |
| CAM | ESPRIT EDGE, impeller/blisk strategies, full machine simulation |
| Materials | Inconel 718/625, Ti-6Al-4V, 17-4 PH, 13-8, 316L, aluminum 7075/6061 |
| Quantities | Prototype, replacement, reverse-engineered to print, production |
How an impeller moves through our shop
1. Blank
The bore, hub profile and shroud OD are turned so the bore becomes the datum for every blade.
2. Rough
Each passage is roughed with constant-engagement 5-axis toolpaths, leaving even stock on every blade.
3. Finish
Blades are flank or point milled, then the hub floor and fillets are finished with tapered ball tools.
4. Verify
Critical dimensions are checked and recorded. FAI and a certificate of conformance ship with the parts.
Replacing a worn impeller? We machine replacements from your drawing or 3D model.
Related: Blisk machining · Inducer machining · 5-axis machining · Request an impeller quote
Frequently asked questions
Can JEP Manufacturing machine impellers?
Yes. We machine open and closed (shrouded) impellers for gas and steam turbines, centrifugal compressors, turbochargers, turboexpanders and pumps. Impellers are milled from solid on our Kitamura HX500 simultaneous 5-axis machining center; smaller impellers can be finished complete on our 9-axis mill-turns.
What is the difference between an open and a closed impeller?
An open impeller has blades standing on a hub with no cover, so every surface can be reached from outside. A closed or shrouded impeller has a cover over the blades, making enclosed flow passages. Machining a closed impeller from solid means reaching into the passages from both the inlet and the outlet with long, curved tool paths, which takes careful tool-reach and collision planning.
What are splitter blades?
Splitter blades are shorter blades placed between the full blades, starting part way down the passage. They add blade area at the outlet without choking the inlet. They narrow the space the cutter has to work in, so tool selection and toolpaths have to account for them.
What size impellers can you machine?
On the 5-axis HX500 the work envelope is Ø31.5 in × 43.5 in high. On the 9-axis mill-turns, up to Ø14.5 in (NT1000) or Ø26 in (NT4200). Practical size depends on blade height and tool reach, so we confirm fit from your model before quoting.
Have a print or a STEP model?
Send it over. We review every RFQ by hand and include a lead time with every quote.