Machining an Impeller Hub

You can machine a sector of an impeller, between two blades, with possible splitters in this sector. You can generate the entire tool path by Copy-Transformation.

You will select:

  • The part (to avoid collisions on it)
  • The faces of the hub
  • The faces of the two blades
  • The faces of the splitters, if any.

You can:

  • Define the tool path strategy as roughing or finishing
  • Apply an offset
  • Define the number of levels or the distance between levels (roughing)
  • Define the strategy for the roughing levels
  • Perform only a roughing or only a finishing
  • When several splitters exist, you can machine either the upper zone (between the two blades) or the lower zone (between the first blade and the splitter, and between the splitter and the second blade).

See Also
Impeller Hub Machining
  1. From the Surface Machining section of the action bar, click Impeller Hub Machining .
    The Impeller Hub Machining dialog box appears directly at the Geometry tab .
  2. Still in the Geometry tab:
    1. Click Part in the sensitive icon and select the part to machine.
    2. Double-click anywhere in the work area to validate the selection and revert to the main dialog box.
  3. Click the vertical arrow, and select a direction.

    This direction is the revolution axis. If a revolution axis is attached to the part to machine, it is automatically selected.

    1. Alternatively, right-click the arrow and select Get axis from part to retrieve it.
    2. Check that the revolution axis is directed as in the sensitive icon. If this is not the case, click its representation in the 3D area and edit it in the dialog box that appears.
  4. Click the Hub area and select the faces that represent the hub.
  5. Click each area of First blade to select the corresponding geometry.
    • A set of faces representing the blade.
    • A set of guide lines representing the boundary between the hub and the blade.
    • A set of guide lines representing the top of the blade.
  6. Repeat with the Second blade areas.
  7. If any, repeat with the Splitters areas.


  8. Optional: Define an Offset on impeller (applied to the whole impeller) and a Radial offset on blades/splitters (applied only on the blades and splitters, if any).

    Radial offset on blades/splitters is always greater or equal to Offset on impeller.

    Note: If you modify Offset on impeller, Radial offset on blades/splitters is modified accordingly.

  9. Go to the Strategy tab to select the type of machining: Roughing or Finishing.

    The machining of a hub impeller is always done in two steps, roughing then finishing.

    Once the roughing is completed, the corresponding feature can be selected from the list in the Geometry tab to perform the finishing without redefining all the parameters.

    According to your selection, the corresponding tab becomes available.
  10. Enter the Machining, Roughing or Finishing parameters as required.
  11. Go to the Tools tab to select a tool.
  12. Go to the Feeds and Speeds tab to specify the feedrates and spindle speeds for the machining operation.

    There is no feedrate reduction in corners.

  13. Go to the Macros tab to specify the machining operation transition paths (approach and retract motion, for example).
  14. Click Display or Simulate to check the validity of the machining operation.
    • The tool path is computed.
    • A progress indicator is displayed.
    • You can cancel the tool path computation at any moment before 100% completion.