NEWS

WEGU WAFFLE PADS are 457mm (18”) x 457mm (18”) are available in two thicknesses 7.94mm  (5/16”) and 12.7mm  (1/2”).  You can choose either Natural Rubber or Chloroprene (Neoprene), in hardness’s ranging from 40 to 80 Shore A. In most cases our standard rubber compounds will meet your requirements; however, if you have special application our knowledgeable plant personnel will work with you to modify our rubber recipe to meet your needs.

WEGU WAFFLE PADS are suitable for use in machine shops under lathes, milling machines, drill presses, grinders and metal fabricating equipment.  They are also recommended for HVAC, motors, generators, metal panel enclosures, floating floors, sub woofers and for utility uses as shims and blocks. If application is an oily/greasy location the Chloroprene (Neoprene) will be the better option.

For more detail information see attached Data Sheet (pdf).

WEGU WAFFLE PADS are 457mm (18”) x 457mm (18”) are available in two thicknesses 7.94mm  (5/16”) and 12.7mm  (1/2”).  You can choose either Natural Rubber or Chloroprene (Neoprene), in hardness’s ranging from 40 to 80 Shore A. In most cases our standard rubber compounds will meet your requirements; however, if you have special application our knowledgeable plant personnel will work with you to modify our rubber recipe to meet your needs.

WEGU WAFFLE PADS are suitable for use in machine shops under lathes, milling machines, drill presses, grinders and metal fabricating equipment.  They are also recommended for HVAC, motors, generators, metal panel enclosures, floating floors, sub woofers and for utility uses as shims and blocks. If application is an oily/greasy location the Chloroprene (Neoprene) will be the better option.

For more detail information see attached Data Sheet (pdf).

Originally a part of WEGU’s raw-material mixing complex, the Laboratory (“Lab”) allows WEGU to continuously enhance existing compounds, determine failure modes, test material performance, as well as develop entirely new compounds. Although large mixing facilities are no longer a part of WEGU due to an effort to focus company energies on its key manufacturing base, the Lab gives WEGU a competitive advantage over companies without dedicated research facilities. The Lab can be used to process and mix raw material into small batches of compound using a Banbury mixer. The resulting material can then be milled on-site and used to create molded samples in a small electric molding press. This electric press can also be used for prototyping parts and for small production runs to test products.

Once a part has been completed, the product can be run through a gamut of testing equipment.  With this equipment, a part can be tested against ozone aging, heat degradation, adhesion breakdown and for tear resistance, abrasion resistance, flame retardation, and load deflection. Mixes can also be tested for flow patterns under various forces using a rheometer.

Summary of Lab Offerings:

• Able to reverse engineer product offerings
• Offer customer unique compounds
• Can test ozone performance
• Can test flammability of material
• Can test for abrasion resistance
• Can supply load deflection results of products
• Test adhesion of rubber to different material (fabric, metal, ceramics)
• Can test tensile strength

As part of an ongoing relationship with Ontario’s educators, over the past few months WEGU has been working with four students from the University of Ontario, Institute of Technology (“UOIT”).

The goal of the project was to improve WEGU’s corporate sales and marketing strategy. Assigned to the project were 2 students from UOIT‘s Finance program, 1 from the Commerce program, and 1 from the Marketing program. In this way, students from a variety of fields were given an opportunity to network together and learn from experienced industry veterans. They also were given a chance to share and use their varied academic knowledge in a real-world scenario. The result is a furthering of WEGU’s corporate goals and the students’ educational goals – a win-win scenario for both groups.

WEGU prepared a project proposal form for the team of students to work from. It was complete with a project scope and description to inform them and a list of key deliverables to aim for as a result of the project.

Soon after, a Team Project Charter was created with key targets to hit at points throughout the school term. University students initially met at WEGU and were given a factory tour. At regular intervals, the group would meet with a WEGU representative to collect information and receive instruction. The project was closed with the production of a final presentation, and a poster display.  The final presentation is a bound copy of their report presented to WEGU.

Whether by working directly with partners on new projects or through their course curriculum, UOIT offers many opportunities for students to support and work alongside local businesses. UOIT is often willing to share its technology with those who require special testing capabilities, such as their state of the art Environmental Wind Tunnel. Their willingness to share and cooperate is a great advantage to all who choose to work with them.

“It was a great opportunity for both sides to learn, get refreshing new ideas, and suggest innovative strategies to reach WEGU‘s marketing and sales goals.”
Mark Fuller, Certified Sales Professional, Account Manager

Installed most often at the loading point of a conveyor system, WEGU Light Duty Impact Bars (LDIBs) replace traditional impact idlers; these provide support to the belt in a conveyor system. LDIBs take the brunt of the impact energy from falling material and prevent damage to the belt. They do so by providing a rigid yet absorbent structure to the conveyor system. They are quickly and simply connected by using a “T” bolt.

The core of WEGU’s LDIBs are constituted of a premium, impact-resistant rubber with a high-grade UHMW topper. UHMW is the most impact-resistant thermoplastic in the industry. It boasts extremely high abrasion resistance, is self-lubricating and low-friction. These characteristics naturally lend the material to be used in products such as impact bars. Traditionally, UHMW is extremely difficult to bond to other materials due to its inert, unreactive nature. After extensive research and follow-up field deployment, WEGU’s Research & Development department has perfected a method which creates a high-grade UHMW bond and allows production of cost-effective products using this process.

LDIBs are the result. WEGU’s in-house, unique bonding methods allow for a cost-effective, highly performant yet still durable product. WEGU Light Duty Impact Bars reduce down-time, maintenance costs, and lengthen the service life of belts.

Supplementary information:

• 3″ height, 4″ width, lengths from 36″-72″
• 1/2″ UHMW topper
• Premium, impact-resistant rubber core
• Aluminum insert
• Customizable Bar width and UHMW thickness

The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (“CIM”) hosts a yearly convention designed to curate and showcase the very best of examples of mining and manufacturing leadership in both Canada and world-wide. Over 5,000 participants are expected from over 40 countries, with nearly 500* companies exhibiting at the CIM EXPO as a part of the Convention. The theme of this year’s convention is thinking differently about challenges in the industry, and searching for best practices to overcome them. In line with this theme, WEGU Manufacturing will be showcasing a wide variety of its best rubber and plastic product solutions at the show.

The Convention schedule includes 3 full days of technical presentations, spanning 12 unique themes. Topics range from physical and environmental safety to subterranean mining. Outside of technical presentations, the Convention presents fantastic opportunities to network with industry leaders and learn from the best in the mining/manufacturing industries. WEGU will be present for the entirety of the Convention, to learn from agile newcomers and also contribute the benefits of it’s many decades of experience in manufacturing resolution to difficult problems.

The EXPO gives opportunity for companies to produce examples of the best product solutions available, world-wide. WEGU will be showcasing its wear-resistant impact materials, impact bars, draft gear box bumpers, idler impact tires, slurry pump casing liners, isolation pads, bumper boards, shaker screen balls, and more. WEGU’s booth, 1609 (row 16, booth 9) is located near the main entrance. WEGU Manufacturing welcomes all to visit and inquire for tailored solutions to their rubber or plastic needs.

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WEGU Manufacturing continues to strengthen its decades-long record of production proficiency by again expanding its portfolio of manufacturing tools with the acquisition of a new Victory 330 ton tie-barless press by the world-renowned ENGEL Group. The Victory has a maximum mold size of over 3′ due to it’s 43”x43” platen. This purchase comes paired with a multi-shot molding unit.

This machine is a major step forward in WEGU’s manufacturing prowess and ability to quickly manufacture complicated parts. tie-barless machines offer free access to the mold area for operational visibility and faster mold changes. This leads to a lower overhead and greatly simplified assessment of potential issues. The result? Lower turnaround times and lower costs for both WEGU and our customers when compared with conventional press technology.

The multi-shot molding unit allows for a relatively unique form of production, permitting WEGU’s press operators to produce complex composite parts made of multiple materials. This grants the ability to produce far more flexible products, allowing WEGU to easily meet the growing variety of needs seen in the increasingly demanding manufacturing scene.

The press is very energy efficient, dependable, and relies on patented force-dividing technology in order to provide an incredibly consistent level of parallelism (or, uniformity of pressure) across the entire platen. This fact, combined with a maximum total clamping force of up to 5,000kN (over 1,100,000lbs-force) ensures a uniform product every time.

We at WEGU are custom manufacturers of molded plastic and rubber products. Let WEGU utilize our over 45 years of experience in bringing your next part from a simple concept to an outstanding reality.

www.wegumanufacturing.com