Burkhardt+Weber MC Series Horizontal Boring Mill
Key Specifications
Spindle Diameter
X Travel
Y Travel
Z Travel
Spindle Speed Range
Spindle Taper
Overview
The Burkhardt+Weber MC Series is a family of large-format horizontal boring and milling centers manufactured in Reutlingen, Germany by Burkhardt+Weber — a company with over 100 years of specialization in precision large-part machining. The MC Series targets aerospace, energy, and heavy engineering applications where workpieces demand simultaneous 5-axis capability, high spindle torque, and the thermal stability required to maintain micron-level tolerances across multi-hour machining cycles.
The MC Series uses a traveling-column floor-type architecture, with the spindle head traversing on a vertical cross-rail and the column moving along the floor plate in the X-axis. This configuration accommodates workpieces too large for conventional rotary-table horizontal machining centers. The MC Series spindle — available in 80 mm and 100 mm diameters — provides the rigidity and torque required for large-diameter boring operations in steel, cast iron, and titanium alloys. The spindle delivers high torque at low RPM for boring and facing, as well as higher speeds for milling and contouring operations.
Burkhardt+Weber builds the MC Series on heavily ribbed cast iron or welded steel bases with thermally symmetrical design to minimize thermal growth errors during extended production cycles. Precision linear guideways and high-force ballscrews on all axes ensure positioning accuracy and repeatability over the machine's full travel range. An automatic angular head changer allows switching between right-angle milling heads and boring heads without operator intervention, enabling complete machining of multi-face workpieces in a single setup.
The standard control is Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl with full 5-axis simultaneous interpolation. The MC Series competes in the large-format horizontal boring mill segment against TOS Varnsdorf, Juaristi, Parpas, and Fermat, with Burkhardt+Weber differentiating through German manufacturing quality, close Siemens integration, and comprehensive application engineering support from the Reutlingen facility.
Full Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Spindle Diameter | 80 mm (3.15 in) standard; 100 mm optional |
| X Travel | 2,000 – 4,000 mm (79 – 157 in) depending on variant |
| Y Travel | 1,400 – 2,000 mm (55 – 79 in) |
| Z Travel | 800 – 1,200 mm (31.5 – 47.2 in) spindle axial |
| Spindle Speed Range | 1 – 3,000 RPM |
| Spindle Taper | HSK-A100 / SK 50 |
| Table Size | Optional rotary table 1,400 × 1,400 mm to 2,000 × 2,000 mm |
| Rotary Table | Optional B-axis rotary table; indexing and continuous CNC |
| Control System | Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl |
| Machine Weight | 40,000 – 80,000 kg depending on variant and table |
| Working Range | in |
| Working Range Optional | in |
| Workpiece Swing Diameter X H | in |
| Pallet Size | mm |
| Pallet Load | lbs |
| Rapid Traverse Axis Travel | m/min |
| Spindle Power 100 Duty Rating | HP |
| Torque 100 Duty Rating | lb/in |
| Speed Range | min-1 |
| Tool Weight | lbs |
| Rapid Traverse Standard Axis Travel | in/min |
| Speed Range 2 Gear Steps | min-1 |
Specifications sourced from burkhardt-weber.de — verified 2026-03-28
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- German precision boring mill heritage with 100+ years of large-format machining expertise, delivering long-term accuracy retention for aerospace and energy sector applications
- Traveling-column floor-type design accommodates workpieces far too large for rotary-table HMCs, including turbine casings, engine blocks, and aerospace structural frames
- Automatic angular head changer enables complete multi-face machining in a single setup, eliminating re-fixturing and improving dimensional consistency
- Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl control with full 5-axis simultaneous interpolation supports complex aerospace contour work and thermal compensation
- Thermally symmetrical machine design minimizes thermal growth errors during long multi-hour machining cycles critical for tight-tolerance large-part work
Limitations
- Capital cost in the $800K–$2M range requires serious application justification and large workpiece volume to achieve acceptable return on investment
- Floor-type installation requires significant foundation preparation, overhead crane access, and large floor area — site costs can add 15–25% to the total investment
- Burkhardt+Weber has a smaller service footprint outside Central Europe; response times for North American customers can be longer than with Japanese or US-based competitors
Best For
Frequently Asked Questions
01
The MC Series is the standard horizontal boring and milling center configuration for large prismatic workpieces on floor plates or rotary tables. The MCB Series is a boring and deep-hole drilling variant designed specifically for applications requiring extended boring bars, deep axial penetration, and precise internal geometry in large housing bores. The MCB typically features an extended W-axis spindle quill travel for deep-bore applications.
02
The standard control is Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl, providing full 5-axis simultaneous interpolation, high-accuracy circular interpolation for bore work, and Burkhardt+Weber's thermal compensation integration. Fanuc control options may be available on request for customers with standardized Fanuc production environments.
03
The MC Series floor-type design supports workpieces mounted directly on the floor plate, with capacity depending on the floor plate load rating — typically 15,000 to 30,000 kg or more. Optional rotary tables are rated for workpiece weights from 10,000 to 25,000 kg depending on the table size and configuration.
Videos
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