This isn’t the first major investment Baker has made in recent years—in early 2017, they acquired a Mecof EcoMill machine, two new cranes for their fabrication facility, and have recently broken ground to support the massive Mecof PowerMill that will become operational in November of this year.
The move to acquire another highly specialized machine with this functionality came three years after purchasing their first Toshiba Boring Mill and stems from Baker’s initiative to become a more versatile and diverse supplier. This second Toshiba mill will enable Baker to handle its customer’s biggest challenges from start to finish while reducing lead time. It will enable Baker to prepare more jobs for conventional machining and free up capacity on several of their other CNC machines. It will also help to support the growth of Baker’s customers.
The 4-axis Toshiba Boring Mill is the embodiment of strength and accuracy. It was designed for better cutting performance and is ideal for drilling large-diameter bores, weldments, rapid stock removal, and intricate machining that requires high accuracy. It features a 130 mm spindle diameter for heavy-duty cutting capabilities. This machine will provide the most torque of all Baker’s 38 CNC machines.
High-speed precision machining is achieved by using a new B-axis rotary table drive mechanism. This revolutionary clamp type is standard with a highly rigid double pinion-type drive system and rotary scale for stabilized precision table indexing. This machine is also designed for the minimal thermal displacement of the spindle head. The machine’s large, extending quill is ideal for deep jobs.
With increased customer demands comes a need to become more efficient. In addition to the robust power and accuracy, the new mill features a 71” x 87” rotary table that can bear up to 44,000 lbs., with a spacious x-axis travel of 118” and 90” in the Y-axis and Z-axis. The size of this rotary table and the ability to manipulate angled machining with great ease and efficiency will enable Baker to reduce the number of setups and secondary processes.
The boring mill also features a CAT50 spindle taper accommodating large cutting tools. The spindle nose is supplied with tools via a 38-tool automatic tool-changing system that gives Baker the capacity to process a complete variety of jobs with minimum set-up time.
The mill is a robust package that includes the TOSNUC 999 operating system, which is the latest version of Toshiba’s integrated control. Manual operations relating to machine movements are separate from the NC operation unit and centrally arranged on the pendant operation box, enabling manual machining operations to be performed smoothly. This package also includes a comprehensive look ahead feature for smooth and accurate 3D cutting.
Baker’s new investment became operational on June 1st. President of Baker Industries, Kevin Baker, remarked: “Our success has always stemmed from our commitment to do whatever it takes to serve our customer’s needs. If we have the potential to expand our support, we will always make the investment to ensure our customers’ success.”
