Canadian Job Shop Increases Aerospace Parts Quality with Mazak
(MILTON, ONTARIO) – Eric Wenger weathered the turbulence of the Ontario economy in 2001, and turned it into an opportunity to become a parts supplier to Canada’s proud aerospace industry. Now, new equipment, specifically a NEXUS VCN 410A from Mazak, is making his company even stronger.
Following a layoff from a small manufacturing company, Wenger – a licensed general machinist – started Express Manufacturing in Milton, Ontario, “with one little machine and no customers,” Wenger recalls. During a rough first year of business, Express carved out its niche in the machine shop marketplace.
“The niche has become producing, small volume, high-quality, complex parts in a timely fashion,” Wenger says. “We do quite a bit of rush work.”
That reputation led Found Aircraft Canada Inc. to Express Manufacturing’s doorstep. Found makes the Bush Hawk-XP, what the company calls “the ultimate bush plane,” in production and testing facilities in Parry Sound, Ontario.
Express Manufacturing’s Eric Wenger with the Mazak NEXUS 410A Vertical Machining Center.
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“Found is a small company,” Wenger says. “All of their other suppliers were working for Boeing and Bombardier and Found was getting pushed aside. I came along and they tested me out. Everything got done on time and done well.” Ultimately, Express produced parts for landing gear, control surface hardware and wing frame pieces out of aluminum and steel. During production, Found Aircraft represents about 60 percent of Express’ business, according to Wenger, who credits his Mazak NEXUS 410A Vertical Machining Centre with putting his two-man company in the aviation business. When not building aviation parts, Express produces things like forms for sand casting patterns and other parts. |
“If I just had my original mill, I would not be able to do the work that I do,” Wenger says. “The Mazak allows me to approach a higher level of customers.”
When he bought his Mazak in 2004, he was looking for some very specific capabilities.
“I wanted a full enclosure, something where I could flood coolants and get higher-quality finishes on parts,” Wenger says. “The other machine I have is a less-expensive, open machine I bought when I first went into business.
“Other machines I was considering when I bought the Mazak were quite a bit cheaper, but the Mazak came standard with fast rapids, a good tool changer, and through-the-tool coolant,” he explains. “When I started adding things up, the Mazak just ended up being a better machine for the money.” The Mazak’s solid-case construction, which offers improved rigidity and therefore better accuracy and longer tool life, also was attractive to Wenger. “Where the Mazak really helps is when I have 30 parts and I’ll set up two vices and run them side by side,” Wenger says. “So every time I open the door and change a part, there’s a finished part coming out. And with a fast tool changer, parts get done pretty quick. |
Aluminum calibration blocks produced the Mazak NEXUS 410A Vertical Machining Center. |
“When it came to surface finish and speed, tool life, and tolerances, I wasn’t getting that with my other mill,” he adds. “It’s just not in the same class.”
Wenger’s NEXUS 410A allowed him to double his business to a $300,000 company in 2006. He expects to still be using the Mazak in 2015, a testament to his faith in the Mazak’s reliability.
“When it comes to deciding on new machines, what I really want is to increase my capacity without hiring anybody,” Wenger says. “Like the Mazak, I’ll always be looking for the most machine for the money.”