Industries / Power generation
Large Part Machining for Power Generation
Split lines that have to seal, bores that have to align, and paperwork that has to survive an audit.
Power generation parts combine two requirements that pull in different directions. Large horizontal split lines have to seal under pressure and temperature, which means flatness across a big face. Bearing bores along a shaft line have to align with each other, which means position across distance. A turbine casing asks for both on the same part.
The second defining feature of this sector is documentation. Material traceability, non-destructive testing, positive material identification and full dimensional records are normal rather than exceptional, and they are a real share of the cost. A quote that leaves them out is not cheaper, it is incomplete.
Parts that come through this route
Not an exhaustive list. It is here so you can tell whether your part behaves like these, which is what decides the machine and the sequence.
- Turbine and compressor casingsHorizontal split line flatness, bolt hole patterns and internal bores in one part.
- Bearing housings and pedestalsBore position along the shaft line, which is a relationship across distance rather than a feature tolerance.
- Generator frames and end shieldsLarge welded or cast structures with machined mounting and bearing faces.
- Valve bodies and chestsSealing faces, seat bores and flanged connections, often in alloy or stainless.
- Foundation and sole platesFlatness and level over long spans, sometimes machined after installation.
- Flanged joints and coversFace flatness and surface finish to a specified seal type.
Where this work usually goes
Machine classes that suit the sector. Full typical envelopes and part weights are on the machine class reference.
Vertical turning lathe
Casings, covers and anything essentially round, ideally with a live milling head so bolt circles happen in the same setup.
Horizontal boring mill
Bearing bores and internal features, with the rotary table holding position between faces.
Gantry mill
Split line faces, where the whole surface is machined in one continuous reference frame.
Materials
Cast and forged carbon steel, low alloy grades such as 1.25Cr-0.5Mo for elevated temperature, stainless for wetted and corrosive service, and nickel alloys in the hottest sections where cutting is slow and tooling expensive.
Paperwork this sector expects
- Material certificatesUsually to EN 10204 3.1 and sometimes 3.2, with full traceability from melt to part.
- Non-destructive testingUltrasonic, magnetic particle or dye penetrant depending on the material and the section, specified before machining hides the welds.
- Positive material identificationConfirmation that the grade in front of you is the grade on the certificate, common on alloy and stainless parts.
- Full dimensional recordsWith the measurement method, the instrument and the recorded temperature.
What to put in the RFQ
On top of the envelope, finished weight, material and tolerance that every heavy part needs, this sector wants these as well.
- The split line requirement, stated as flatness over the area that seals
- Sealing surface finish and the seal type it has to work with
- Bearing bore alignment along the shaft line, as a relationship rather than coordinates
- Service temperature, because it changes both the material and the tolerance logic
- The certification level required, 3.1 or 3.2, and which tests
- Whether any machining happens after installation on the foundation
Have a part like these?
Send the envelope, the finished weight and the sector. We match it with shops that already work to this paperwork. Reply within 24 business hours.