Connector components
A ring-shaped turned part with slots: bore fit and slot indexing are more critical than the outside diameter.
Part family · Turned components
Precision flanges
A disc-shaped connector: bolt-hole indexing and the flatness of the sealing face are what the drawing really asks for.
What it is, and where it usually goes wrong
A flange is a disc that connects two things and seals one of them. The bolt holes have to index against the mating part, and the sealing face has to be flat and square to the bore — a flange that is dimensionally correct but has a twisted face will leak at one side of the gasket.
How we machine it
- Turn the bore, the sealing face and the groove in one set-up; mill the bolt pattern from the same datum.
- Use a soft jaw or a face driver so the finished sealing face is not marked by the chuck.
- Cut O-ring grooves with a full-radius tool and check the groove against the actual cord, not the nominal drawing.
- Deburr the bolt holes on the sealing side only after the face is finished, and never with a file that crosses the face.
Where it is used
Pipe connections, motor and gearbox interfaces, vacuum chamber flanges, docking plates.
What we check before it ships
- Flatness and surface finish of the sealing face
- Bolt-hole pitch circle and angular position
- Groove width, depth and surface finish
- Squareness of the sealing face to the bore
Measured against your drawing and written on the inspection sheet that ships with the parts. First article reports are available on request.
What to send for a quote
- Bolt pattern, including the starting angle
- The seal: O-ring cord diameter, gasket type or metal-to-metal contact
- Pressure and temperature, if the joint has to hold
- Mating flange drawing, since most leaks are a mismatch between two faces
A STEP file plus a drawing is ideal; a PDF with tolerances also works. Quantity, material and finishing are enough to give you a real price instead of a range.
Questions we get on this part
Why does a flange leak when the dimensions are right?
Usually because the sealing face is not square to the bore, or the groove does not match the cord diameter actually used. Both pass a dimensional check and still leak. We cut the face and groove in one set-up so they share an axis, and inspect the groove against the seal.
Can you machine a flange to match an existing pump or motor?
Yes — send the mating part or its interface drawing. The bolt pattern and the spigot diameter are the two dimensions that have to match; a small error in either makes the flange unusable even if everything else is perfect.
Other turned components we machine
Motor housings
A thin-walled cylinder where bore coaxiality and face squareness determine how the rotor fits.
Long connecting rods
A slender tubular rod: straightness, bore alignment at both ends and end threads are the three control points.
Send a drawing, get a price within 24 hours
STEP, IGES, DWG, PDF or a dimensioned sketch — plus material, quantity and finishing. We reply with a price and any questions in one message.