Michigan-based Baker Industries has purchased two massive EMCO MECOF Powermill HP5 gantry machining centres to add to its large-scale high-precision 5-axis machining capabilities.
The two machines, which are equipped with Heidenhain TNC 640 HSCI controls, join the company’s existing Powermill, which was purchased in 2017 and is one of the largest CNC machines in North America.
Baker Industries, a Lincoln Electric company, is a leading provider of advanced manufacturing solutions for the aerospace, defence, automotive, energy, and shipbuilding industries. Although US-based, it also works with a number of UK-based OEM and Tier-1 companies in aerospace and defence.
The newly acquired machines boast significant size and capability, with axis travels of 315 x 157.5 x 59 inches (X/Y/Z). They also feature two interchangeable heads—a 6,000-rpm universal head and a 12,000-rpm high-speed head—and automatic head-changing capabilities. With these advanced features and controls, the machines deliver precision and efficiency and can handle the most complex large-scale machining tasks.
Brian Baker, General Manager at Baker Industries, commented on the acquisition: “The addition of these two machines significantly expands our large-format machining capacity and capabilities, enabling us to provide faster turnarounds and meet the growing demands for complex machined parts and tooling.” He continued, “This investment aligns perfectly with our strategic vision to offer comprehensive, high-precision manufacturing solutions to our customers.”
Construction began last week, and the new machines are expected to be installed and operational by year-end 2024.
Baker Industries is a supplier of tooling, flight hardware, prototyping, CNC machining, fabrication, additive manufacturing, assembly, finishing, quality inspection, and design & engineering services to OEM and Tier 1 manufacturers in the world’s most demanding industries.
www. lincolnelectric.com
Photo: The monstrous EMCO MECOF Powermill HP5 machines feature large work envelopes in a gantry design, bolstering Baker Industries’ large-scale machining capacity and capabilities. (Courtesy of EMCO GmbH)