CNC Machined Aluminum Pneumatic Manifold Block
Pneumatic manifold blocks machined from 6061-T6, with six G1/8 ports on a 20 mm pitch held to ±0.05 mm, a Ø8 cross-drilled gallery straight to 0.05 mm, sealing faces flat to 0.05 mm and a pressure decay test at 1.0 MPa before anodizing.
- Six Ports on a 20 mm Pitch
- Gallery Cross-Drilled in One Set-up
- Threads Gauged After Anodizing
- Leak Tested at 1.0 MPa
*Send the valve stack drawing and the tube routing. The port pitch is set by the fittings you already use, and a manifold that is 0.2 mm out on pitch will cross-thread a push-in fitting every time.
Pneumatic Manifold Block Overview
A manifold block is judged by two things: whether every fitting threads in by hand, and whether the gallery is clean enough that the valve does not breathe air past a seal. Both come from the order the holes are cut in.
The block is squared first, the port face is machined as the datum, then the ports are drilled and tapped, the gallery is cross-drilled from both ends and the block is flushed and pressure tested before the anodizing line.
6061-T6 Aluminium Block
6061-T6 is used because the gallery is cross-drilled through a 50 mm section and the block still has to hold thread torque at every port. It also anodizes without closing the G1/8 threads if they are masked.
6082-T6 or 7075-T6
6082-T6 is specified when the block carries the valve stack as a structural member, and 7075-T6 when the ports are close together and the wall between them drops under 4 mm.
Below a 4 mm wall between ports the block distorts when the fittings are tightened; the fix is more aluminium, not a harder alloy.
Pneumatic Manifold Block Specifications
Milling and drilling data for air distribution blocks, with the port, gallery and leak values that decide whether the stack runs dry.
| Specification | Machining Data | Specification | Machining Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Pneumatic Manifold Block / Air Distribution Block | Machining Process | 3-Axis CNC Milling, Cross Drilling, Tapping |
| Material | 6061-T6 Aluminium Block | Envelope | Up to 220 × 120 × 70 mm |
| Port Pitch | 20 mm, ±0.05 mm | Port Thread | G1/8 to G1/2, Class 6H |
| Gallery Bore | Ø 6 – 12 mm, Straightness 0.05 mm | Gallery Depth | Cross-Drilled from Both Ends, Plugs Fitted |
| Port Face | Flat 0.05 mm, Square to the Gallery | Leak Test | 1.0 MPa Air, 60 s, No Drop |
| Surface | Ra 1.6 µm on the Sealing Faces | Block Squareness | 0.05 mm per 100 mm |
| Port Count | 2 – 12 Ports, Any Arrangement | Mounting Holes | Ø 6.6 mm Through, ±0.10 mm |
| Customization | Port Count, Tube Stubs, Mounting Flange, Name Plate | Lead Time | 4 – 6 Days Sample, 10 – 14 Days Batch |
| Inspection | CMM Port Pitch, Thread Gauges, Pressure Decay Test | Packing | Port Caps, Foam Wrap, Individually Boxed |
Key Features of Our Manifold Blocks
Ports and gallery from one set-up, flushed and pressure tested before coating.
Ports on One Machined Pitch
All ports are drilled from the same datum face in a single programme, so the pitch stays within 0.05 mm and a fitting starts by hand at every station.
Gallery Cross-Drilled From Both Ends
The bore is drilled from each end and met in the middle, which keeps it straight to 0.05 mm and lets the swarf out instead of packing it into a blind corner.
Threads Cut to a Pre-Plate Size
Threads are tapped to allow for the 8 µm anodizing build and checked with a Go/No-Go gauge after coating, so a fitting does not need a tap to seat.
Pressure Decay Test Before Packing
Every block is plugged, charged to 1.0 MPa and watched for 60 s; a block that drops pressure is stripped and re-drilled, not shipped and hoped for.
Manifold that has to seal at every port?
Surface Finishes for Manifold Blocks
The outside is cosmetic, the threads and the sealing faces are functional, and the two cannot be treated the same way.
| Finish | Main Purpose | Finish | Main Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Anodizing | Corrosion protection on the visible block | Clear Anodizing | Keeps threads easy to inspect |
| Masked Threads | Threads stay at gauge size after coating | Bead Blasting | Even matte before dye |
| Laser Marking | Port numbers and flow direction | Chromate Conversion | Conductive finish for earthed machines |
| Anodizing Build | 8 – 12 µm, Sealed | Ultrasonic Clean | Before and after tapping |
| Port Caps | Fitted After Coating and Gauging | Vapour Blasting | Satin finish on the outer faces |
| Thread Sealant | Pre-Applied on Request | Assembly Oil | Light Film Inside the Gallery |
*Anodizing grows into a G1/8 thread by about 8 µm on the flanks. Ports are masked with silicone plugs, otherwise a fitting binds at half depth and the operator blames the thread.
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Machining Process for Manifold Blocks
All six ports are drilled from one datum and the gallery is cross-drilled before the block is unclamped, so the port pitch and the bore axis cannot drift apart.
01. Stack and Routing Review
Check the valve stack footprint, the fitting type and the tube routing, then fix the port pitch and the gallery diameter from the flow you need.
02. Square and Face the Block
Machine all six faces square to 0.05 mm per 100 mm and take the port face as datum A, since every hole is called from it.
03. Drill and Tap the Ports
Centre drill, drill and tap each port in one programme, checking the pitch with a pin gauge before the block leaves the fixture.
04. Cross-Drill and Flush the Gallery
Drill the gallery from both ends, deburr the intersection by hand, then flush with filtered air until no swarf comes out of any port.
05. Test, Anodize, Re-Gauge
Plug and pressure test at 1.0 MPa, mask the threads, anodize black, then re-gauge every port and cap it for shipping.
Send the valve stack drawing and the fitting you use, and we will quote a manifold with the ports on your pitch and every thread gauged after coating.
Pneumatic Manifold Block FAQs
20 mm pitch for G1/8 with a 4 mm wall between them. Below that the wall thins, the block distorts when the fittings are torqued, and the thread pulls out under pressure.
Yes, each one is plugged, charged to 1.0 MPa and held for 60 s. Blocks for vacuum service are tested the other way, at -90 kPa, because a leak inward does not show on a pressure decay test.
It adds about 8 µm on the flanks, so threads are cut oversize and the ports are plugged during coating. Every port is re-gauged after anodizing and before it is capped.
The intersection is deburred through the port with a back-spotting tool, then the block is flushed. A burr left at the cross-hole is what usually blocks a valve spool months later.
0.05 mm under an O-ring port and 0.1 mm under a bonded gasket. A face that is crowned will let the O-ring roll out when the fitting is tightened.
Yes, laser marking on the top face with the port numbers and the flow direction, applied after anodizing so the mark stays legible and does not fill with dye.
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