Starrag LX 021

A new Starrag LX 021 typically costs between $600,000 and $1,000,000 depending on configuration and automation level. A standalone machine with standard 30-tool magazine and Siemens control starts around $600,000. Adding expanded tool magazines (up to 90 tools), robotic loading integration, adaptive machining software, and full cell automation packages pushes the price to $800,000-$1,000,000 or more. These machines are rarely sold individually—most are ordered in multi-machine cells of 4-8 units, and cell pricing is negotiated on a project basis. Used LX 021 machines occasionally appear on the market for $200,000-$400,000.

The LX 021 and LX 051 are both Starrag blade machining centers, differentiated primarily by blade size capacity. The LX 021 handles blades up to approximately 210 mm in length, targeting compressor blades and smaller turbine blades. The LX 051 accommodates blades up to approximately 510 mm, handling larger low-pressure turbine blades and industrial gas turbine blades. The LX 051 has proportionally larger axis travels, more spindle power, and a higher price point. Both share the same 6-axis architecture, Siemens control, and automation-ready design philosophy.

While optimized for nickel-based superalloys (Inconel 718, Waspaloy, Rene alloys) and titanium blade alloys (Ti-6Al-4V), the LX 021 can also machine compressor blades in stainless steels and aluminum alloys. The 30,000 RPM spindle is particularly effective on aluminum and titanium at high surface speeds. However, the machine's compact work envelope and specialized fixturing make it impractical for anything other than blade-type geometries, regardless of material.

The LX 021 is designed from the ground up for robotic loading. A 6-axis industrial robot (typically FANUC or KUKA) loads raw blade forgings into the machine's clamping fixture, the machine completes all machining and turning operations, and the robot unloads the finished blade and loads the next forging. In a typical multi-machine cell, one robot serves 4-8 LX 021 machines, with a centralized blade magazine providing buffer storage. Starrag provides cell management software that coordinates production scheduling, tool life monitoring, and quality data across all machines in the cell.

The LX 021 is used almost exclusively in two industries: aerospace (jet engine blade production) and power generation (gas and steam turbine blade production). Major customers include jet engine OEMs like GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and Safran, as well as their tier-1 blade suppliers. Power generation customers include gas turbine manufacturers like Siemens Energy and Mitsubishi Power. The machine is also used by MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities that reprofile worn turbine blades.

RCS (Reverse Cutter System) is Starrag's proprietary approach to blade machining that uses specially designed cutting tools running in reverse rotation to improve surface finish and reduce cutting forces on thin airfoil sections. When machining the thin trailing edges of turbine blades, conventional cutting directions can cause deflection and chatter. The RCS approach reverses the engagement geometry to apply cutting forces in a direction that supports the thin blade wall rather than deflecting it. This technology is particularly valuable on nickel superalloy blades where surface integrity requirements are extremely stringent.