Austral are one of the few companies in the world dedicated solely to the manufacture of marine propellers. We produce propellers of all types up to 72″ (1.83m) diameter for use on both pleasure and commercial craft.
Austral are marine propeller specialists and as such our plant and equipment is purpose built with this aim alone. Our facility is totally self contained and includes a CAD/CAM design centre, pattern shop, modern non ferrous foundry, machine shop with CNC capability, finishing section and quality control department. State of the art technology is used extensively throughout the plant in propeller design, tooling manufacture, production scheduling, electronic propeller balancing, quality inspection and calibration.
Austral prides itself on its ability to satisfy a total propeller design concept within a short manufacturing lead-time. We manufacture propellers of superior styles, to a high quality standard and at a “value for money” price.
Take a look around the Austral Propeller factory
CAD/CAM and CNC Machining
The use of the latest technology and advanced CAD/CAM software is an integral part of Austral’s manufacturing procedures . The design can be assessed for shape and profile then individual sections can be analysed to determine their effectiveness, or otherwise, in operation.
Once the design has been theoretically proven, the computer generates machining toolpaths using surfaces from the propeller drawing. Basically the complete machining of the propeller can then be simulated on the computer screen to verify such things as tool selection, cutter direction, clearances, surface blending etc.
When these machining toolpaths have been verified they are then down loaded to a CNC vertical machining centre (VMC). By transmitting precise X-Y-Z co-ordinates guides the VMC tool to machine the propeller pattern exactly as it was originally drawn. Using this technology, new prototype “test propellers” are produced and water tested within our ongoing R&D programme.
Once a new design has been proven by exhaustive testing the latest technology can then parametrically produce toolpaths for any combination of diameter and pitch. Resulting from this extensive R&D programme some exciting new propeller designs have been produced. This advanced technology ensures Austral propellers are not only of superior design, but the finished products are now consistently superior, both in terms of overall quality and accuracy, to propellers made from traditional manual pattern making methods.
Austral Metals
Nibral (Nickel Aluminium Bronze)
This premium high tensile alloy is recognised, throughout the world, as one of the best metals available for marine propeller manufacture. The alloy basically has no zinc and with an average tensile strength of 85,000lbs per sq.inch gives much greater resistance than Manganese Bronze to bending, flexing and corrosion. Its durability makes it ideal for cupped propellers, high HP engines and for heavy commercial use.
Aluminium
This high strength premium magnesium aluminium has good ductility which means in most cases, upon impact the propeller will bend rather than break. The alloy is saltwater resistant and unlike die castings Austral propellers can easily be altered in pitch or cupped. It is used to produce our saildrive, outboard and sterndrive propellers.