When it comes to drilling, sawing, and coping, structural steel processing requires absolute precision to ensure structural stability. However, manual drilling and sawing can risk miscalculations or hole and cut deviations that lead to costly rework and missed deadlines. Fortunately, new CNC drilling and sawing automation offers a more cost-effective option for structural materials processing
In this article, we’ll look at five ways new CNC drilling and sawing automation from Southern Metal Fabricators can help you minimize human errors that bottleneck throughput and deadlines. For example, the Peddinghaus XDM-630 is an advanced combination of drilling and sawing automation that increases precision and throughput speed for structural projects such as:
- Beams, channels, and base plates
- Stairs, platforms, and ladders
- Any structural work requiring faster materials processing
Here are five ways this CNC drilling and sawing automation works to save you time and money.
1: Increase Capacity With Multi-Spindle CNC Drilling
As we’ve discussed in our previous structural steel fabrication articles, even one drilling mishap can have a serious impact on output quality and accuracy. Even the smallest hole deviation matters when your industry demands 99% for every custom metal fabrication.
This is where the CNC drilling automation from the Peddinghaus XDM-630 can reduce the potential for costly errors, even under tight deadlines. It maximizes multi-spindle drilling to ensure hole quality and speed drill time. This means you can take on more work, without sacrificing quality.
Equipped with high-speed 4-axis carbide drilling and 3-drill spindles with 5-station tool changers, the Peddinghaus offers time- and cost-saving advantages such as:
- More throughput: Multi-spindle drilling produces several parts simultaneously for increasing throughput, compared to single-spindle drilling machines. Powered by 25 HP (18.5 kW) Siemens servo motors, it has a speed range of 0-3000 RPM.
- Improved accuracy: The Peddinghaus XDM-630 maintains consistent precision across parts made from a variety of materials, ensuring quality even at high-drill speeds.
- Increased efficiency: Performs multiple tooling operations simultaneously on a single workpiece, which can reduce machining time by four to five times compared to a single-spindle lathe.
All of these benefits add up to labor and materials cost savings, when you factor in reduced errors, especially when you’re producing high volumes of small- or medium-sized parts.
2: Increase Throughput Accuracy Via Precision Roller-Feed Automation
High-precision rollers are another way CNC automation can improve accuracy and ensure consistent quality throughput. The Peddi XDM-630 roller measurement technology maintains accurate measurements, even with material deviations, for increased throughput accuracy.
Additional benefits include:
- Exceeds industry standards for roller measurement technology in terms of accuracy and consistency.
- Automates the process of maintaining accurate measurements, freeing your staff to work on more value-added tasks.
- Ensures accuracy, even with material deviations.
3: Save Slot and Cope Milling Man-Hours with CNC Drilling Automation
When you can eliminate steps in your structural materials processing, you save man-hours and increase your capacity for new work. One way the Peddinghaus XDM-630 saves man hours is it reduces steps and time for slot and cope milling functions, as part of its combination CNC drilling automation capabilities.
Time-saving benefits include:
- Produces a mirror-shine machined finish with less effort.
- Completely eliminates grinding after drilling operations.
- Delivers finished parts that are ready for fit-up and require no further processing.
4: Increase Processing Efficiency with Automated Parts Handling
Just as CNC drilling and sawing automation saves time and money, automating parts handling reduces time-consuming steps and increases efficiency down the production line.
For example, the Peddi XDM-630’s parts handling conveyor system is designed to minimize human error, lower repetitive motion risks, and reduce labor costs. In addition to reducing material handling costs, the conveyor system benefits include:
- Provides convenient parts removal with minimal operator intervention.
- Facilitates continuous movement for increased processing efficiency.
- Saves material handling by dumping short parts into a scrap bin while longer parts are conveyed through the exit system for further processing or unloading.
5: Reduce Lead Times and Improve Safety Via Sawing Automation
In addition to CNC drilling, sawing automation is a cost-effective way to speed up timelines without sacrificing quality or accuracy. There are also safety benefits to consider when your workers are not having to cut material by hand. CNC machine sawing is safer, faster, and more accurate than manual cutting.
The Peddinghaus XDM-630’s speed sawing technology is designed to reduce cutting risks and cut times while increasing productivity with saw features such as:
- Rapid-advance blade approach
- Automatic material sensing
- Automatic cutting speed transition
- Feed compensation during the cut
- End-of-cut sensing and automatic retract
Yes, We Can Help You Save Time and Money for Your Structural Processing
At Southern Metal Fabricators, we know that structural materials processing, such as CNC drilling and sawing automation, can accelerate production timelines and reduce costly mistakes. When you outsource these structural processes, as well as your labor-intensive custom metal fabrication projects, we can work as your off-site structural processing center.
The engineers at Southern Metal Fabricators have been solving these structural steel processing and metal fabrication challenges for over 32 years. We’ve also invested in industry-leading automation and resources in order to save time and money for both industrial and commercial steel projects.
Give us a chance to say, “Yes, we can do that!” by outsourcing your structural steel processing to Southern Metal Fabricators. Visit our structural steel fabrication page to learn more benefits about outsourcing your next detailing or processing project or contact us today.
