CNC Machining of Propeller to Better than Class Tolerances Available to Purchase

Producing class S propellers and water jet impellers presents serious challenges for propeller manufacturers. To overcome these challenges and consistently manufacture propellers with superior quality, an integrated approach was adopted when developing and implementing a process for Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machining of propeller surfaces. Highlights of this process are: (1) CNC machining of all blade surfaces; extreme surface blending, (2) CNC machining to final form & finish without hand grinding and (3) high precision, better than class S. This paper will describe various challenges encountered in the production of CP propeller blades and how these challenges were overcome in order to produce accurate CP propeller blades which exceed class S tolerances.