Canyon Hydro has completed a major expansion to its manufacturing facility, including a 7-axis CNC milling machine capable of maintaining extremely tight tolerances on Canyon’s hydroelectric turbines. The new CNC fabrication center is located in Washington State, just a few miles from the company’s primary fabrication plant in Deming.
The new CNC center makes it possible for Canyon Hydro to machine all surfaces of its Pelton and Francis turbines with greater precision. Canyon’s Pelton runners are typically milled from a single, stainless-steel casting. The company also rebuilds turbine systems for existing hydroelectric projects. The 7-axis CNC machine can accommodate components up to 36ft long, 16ft in diameter, and 25 tons.
The new CNC fabrication center is the latest in a series of investments made by the company. In addition to the 7-axis machine, the new facility houses several smaller CNC machines for milling other turbine components, plus a fully-equipped computer lab for design and modeling.
The CNC fabrication center began operating in March 2010 and is now fully integrated into the Canyon Hydro manufacturing process. It is currently undergoing certification to meet AS9100 quality management standards.