Macomb Township-based Baker Industries Debuts Largest Power Mill in U.S.

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Baker Industries in Macomb Township today announced it has finished the ground work for its Emco Mecof Power Mill, a five-axis machining center that is the first of its kind to enter the United States. The acquisition is the next step in Baker’s planned approach to expanding its capacity in servicing OEM and Tier 1 customers with large machining projects.

The company, which has 275 employees, works with aerospace and automotive customers to provide machining, tooling, fixtures, molds, and 3D printing services that address dependability, cost, weight reduction, and speed.

With 38 versatile CNC machines, the Power Mill provides for the machining of large-scale assembly tools, bond tools, and other colossal components. The open structure of the machines moving gantry allows for more convenient loading and handling of very large tools.

The 52′ x 20′ x 10′ envelope is large enough to fit seven full-size SUVs or two semi-truck trailers on its platform. The added size enables Baker to process parts up to a maximum weight of 2.6 million pounds on a stationary table.

The new five-axis machine is equipped with several automatically changing heads that allow for universal direction machining. In order to maximize productivity, the new Power Mill speeds around the work area with rapid travel and feed rates of 30m/min.

Aside from the flexibility, capacity, and high-speed functionality, the Power Mill delivers added rigidity and machining performance, and is ideal for the heavy duty cutting of invar, steel, aluminum, cast iron, composites, and other alloys that are generally difficult to machine on a large scale.

Working in synergy with the spindle motor is a CAT50, HSK63, and HSK100 spindle taper that accommodates large cutting tools. The spindle nose offers an automatic tool changing system that gives Baker Industries the capacity to process a complete variety of jobs with minimum set-up time.

To prepare for the installation, Baker began construction on the site last June. The company removed approximately 436,000 pounds of 10-inch thick concrete in 4′ x 4′ sections. The total excavation of the 45′ x 75′ x 7′ pit, including concrete and 450 yards of clay, weighed close to 1.2 million pounds.

Once the contents of the pit were removed, roughly 1.9 million pounds of crushed stone and concrete were poured into the pit, spread, and tamped down. All concrete was poured within the same day to eliminate any seams in the foundation; nearly 60,000 pounds of steel reinforcement framework was also added to support the structure.

Including construction, the company’s total financial investment for the project is $3.4 million. “Our willingness to proactively make investments to support our customer’s needs has allowed us to achieve continuous growth year after year. The Power Mill is just one of many investments that we have made in 2017 and will continue to make in years to come,” says Kevin Baker, president of Baker Industries.