Weber Manufacturing expands, adds large CNC machine

Weber Manufacturing Technologies Inc. (Midland, ON, Canada) has recently installed a new high-speed 5-axis machining center, a 2017 DMU 340 P Unimould by DMG Mori (Bielefeld, Germany), the first of its kind in Ontario and just the third such machine in North America.

Weber president Chris Edwards says the DMU 340 is the focal point of an $8 million capital investment plan: “It helps us deliver outstanding accuracy and superior speed to market to our automotive, aerospace and home and building product customers.” The DMU 340 is a key part of a significant capital investment that was spurred on by an $800,000 South Western Ontario Development Fund grant.

The DMU 340’s 3.4m diameter table can handle metal blocks that weigh up to 44,000 lb, and the machine, which can both cut and measure, completes the cutting from the top down in one setting, eliminating the need to reposition and reset the piece during production. “What takes 48 hours with a 3-axis machine is completed in 24 hours with the DMU340,” explains Edwards. Increased speed also comes with improved accuracy, he adds: “Older models simply can’t perform like the new machine which builds to an incredibly fine detail.” Weber has already secured two Chinese customers, and is currently working on a tool for a Chinese-made car.

Weber’s four-year growth plan will see the addition of several other critical machines including a universal medium duty 5-axis gantry machine, a second nickel vapor deposition reactor to double the company’s nickel shell and powder production capacity, and a 2,000-ton production press, among other equipment.