Five-Axis CNC Machined Aluminum Manifold Plate
Manifold plates five-axis machined from 6082-T6 plate, with cross-drilled galleries from Ø 4 to 16 mm, port faces spotfaced square to their axis within 0.05 mm, ports on five faces of the block and cartridge cavities machined in one set-up. Each plate is pressure tested at 1.5 times working pressure and the galleries are borescoped before the ports are plugged.
- Ports on Five Faces
- Gallery Breakouts Deburred
- Port Faces Spotfaced Square
- Pressure Tested 1.5×
*Send the hydraulic schematic and the cartridge valve datasheets. The cavity depth, the gallery breakout position and the port angle all come from the valves, not from the block outline.
Manifold Plate Overview
A manifold replaces a bundle of pipes with holes in a block. Every gallery has to meet the right port at the right depth, every port face has to be square to its thread and every cavity has to be concentric, or a cartridge valve will leak or bind.
A five-axis machine is used because the ports sit on faces that are not all perpendicular. One datum serves every face, the deep galleries are drilled in a peck cycle with through-coolant, and each breakout is deburred from the inside before the next hole is drilled.
6082-T6 Aluminium Plate
6082-T6 is the standard manifold alloy in Europe: it machines fast, holds a thread well and anodizes evenly. Plate is used up to 120 mm thick because it is stress-relieved and stays flat after the galleries are drilled.
7075-T6 or Ductile Iron
7075-T6 is used where the working pressure is above 250 bar and the wall between galleries is thin. Ductile iron is specified for pressures above 350 bar, where aluminium would fatigue around the port threads.
The pressure rating decides the material, and the wall between galleries decides the block size. Below 3 mm of wall the block will weep between circuits, whatever the alloy.
Manifold Plate Specifications
Five-axis data for manifold blocks, with the gallery, port and cavity values that decide whether the circuit holds pressure.
| Specification | Machining Data | Specification | Machining Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Manifold Plate / Distribution Block | Machining Process | 5-Axis CNC Milling, Deep Drilling, Tapping |
| Material | 6082-T6 Aluminium Plate | Envelope | Up to 400 × 300 × 120 mm |
| Gallery Diameter | Ø 4 – 16 mm, Position ±0.10 mm | Port Face | Spotfaced Square 0.05 mm to the Port Axis |
| Port Threads | G1/8 – G1/2, Cut to Pre-Plate Size | Plate Flatness | 0.05 mm on the Mounting Face |
| Cross-drill Breakout | Deburred, No Step Inside the Gallery | Wall Between Galleries | 3 mm Minimum |
| Pressure Test | 1.5 × Working Pressure, 10 min Hold | Surface Finish | Ra 1.6 µm on Port Faces |
| Customization | Cartridge Valve Cavities, Gauge Ports, Test Points | Lead Time | 7 – 9 Days Sample, 14 – 18 Days Batch |
| Inspection | CMM Port Position and Angle, Borescope Galleries, Leak Test Record | Packing | Ports Plugged, VCI Wrap, Foam Crate |
Key Features of Our Manifold Plates
One datum for five faces, every breakout deburred.
Ports on Five Faces From One Datum
Five-axis machining means the top, sides and ends all reference the same datum, so a gallery drilled from the top meets the side port within 0.10 mm.
Deep Galleries With Through-Coolant
Long galleries are drilled in a peck cycle with coolant through the tool, which stops the chips packing and keeps the hole straight.
Breakouts Deburred Inside
Each cross-drill breakout is deburred from the bore side, so no burr is left to travel into a valve or a cylinder.
Pressure Tested and Borescoped
Every block is borescoped for breakout quality and pressure tested at 1.5 times working pressure for ten minutes, with the record supplied.
Block that has to route pressure without leaking?
Surface Finishes for Manifold Plates
Port faces and cavities are fits; the outside is only corrosion protection and identification.
| Finish | Main Purpose | Finish | Main Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type II Anodizing | Corrosion protection on external faces | Hard Anodizing | Wear resistance in cartridge cavities |
| Masked Port Faces | Keeps port faces flat and threads at size | Bead Blasting | Matte finish before dye |
| Chromate Conversion | Conductive body for an earth strap | Laser Marking | Port identification and flow direction |
*Anodizing closes a port thread and changes a cavity bore. Ports and cavities are masked with plugs, and threads are cut to a pre-plate size before coating.
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Five-Axis Machining Process
Every port is machined from the same datum on a five-axis machine, so a gallery cannot miss the face it is supposed to break out of.
01. Schematic and Cavity Review
Map every gallery against the schematic, check the cartridge cavity depths and confirm which faces carry ports before programming.
02. Square and Face the Block
Machine all six faces square and flat to 0.05 mm, establishing the datum corner that every port and gallery will be measured from.
03. Drill the Galleries
Drill the long galleries in a peck cycle with through-coolant, then cross-drill the connecting holes and check the breakouts with a borescope.
04. Machine Port Faces and Cavities
Rotate the block on the trunnion to spotface each port square to its axis, then machine the cartridge cavities and cut the threads.
05. Deburr, Test, Plug
Deburr every breakout, wash the galleries, pressure test at 1.5 times working pressure, then plug the ports and crate the block.
Send the hydraulic schematic and the valve datasheets, and we will quote a manifold with every port on its true angle and pressure tested.
Manifold Plate FAQs
Because ports sit on faces that are not all square to each other. On a three-axis machine each face needs its own fixture and the angular error accumulates across the block; on a trunnion every port comes from one datum.
The gallery position is held to ±0.10 mm, which puts the breakout inside a port bore of Ø 4 mm or larger. Smaller ports are drilled from the port side to keep the breakout centred.
Yes, from the valve datasheet, with the cavity diameter, depth and chamfer held to the valve maker's tolerance. Cavities are checked with a plug gauge and a depth micrometer.
1.5 times working pressure for ten minutes as standard. Blocks for 350 bar service are made in steel or iron, not aluminium.
High-pressure wash, then a borescope inspection of every breakout, then plugs fitted. Blocks are shipped with the ports plugged so no swarf enters in transit.
Yes, but a schematic is better. The drawing shows where the holes go; the schematic shows which circuits must connect, and that is what the machining programme is built from.
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