Plate drilling machine, sheet metal working centers for flat steel processing and plate processing

The sheet metal working centers as a combined plate-drilling-and thermal cutting-system or as gantry-type thermal cutting machine with drilling unit are an important component of sheet metal production in steel construction, steel trade and metal construction. Manufacturers of these plate-processing machines are well-known companies such as: Ficep, Peddinghaus, Kaltenbach, Voortman, Vernet-Behringer and Danobat.

These economical drilling machines are available for plate widths from 600 mm to 3000 mm. As a particularly economic entry-level machine, the Peddimat FDB 600 drilling and cutting machine from Peddinghaus in Gevelsberg or the sheet processing center WBZ1000 from Kaltenbach in Lörrach have been used successfully in steel prosessing for many years. This type of machine is reliable and inexpensive as a used machine. Spare parts and service are available at Nenok. However, in order to be able to use standard sheet metal formats from the steel trade without a large waste, machines with processing widths of 1500 mm and 2500 mm are more suitable.

To give you an overview of the systems available on the market, we have listed the different machine models below. Basically, all of these systems are reliable machines and used worldwide.

Model overview of sheet metal working centers:

Sheet metal working machine types from Peddinghaus
FDB 600, HSFDB 600, FDB 1000, FDB 1500, FDB 2500, HSFDB 2500

Plate drilling machine with integrated drilling unit, oxy-fuel burner and / or plasma cutting unit and roll measuring feed as length measuring system. In these drilling machines, the first two numbers describe the sheet width to be processed, with the usual sheet lengths being mostly 6000 mm. Due to the roll measuring feed, the flat steel to be machined can also be extended. The abbreviation HS stands for high speed drilling, here a reinforced drill unit is used in which also carbide drills can be used.

Sheet metal working machines types from Kaltenbach
WBZ 1000, WBZ 1500, KF1505, KF 1606, KF 1614, KF 2114, KF 2506, KF 2512, KF 2614, KF 3114

In these drilling machines, the first two numbers describe the sheet width to be processed, with the usual sheet lengths being mostly 6000 mm. The next two digits provide information about the number of drill tool slots in the tool changer. The oldest available sheet metal working centers are available as used machine type WBZ 1000 and WBZ 1500.   These systems have one or two integrated drilling unit with tool changer, a oxy-fuel cutting unit and / or a plasma cutting unit are used for the flame cutting. A pliers measuring carriage ensures the material transport and the length measurement. The newer plants can mill too.

Sheet metal working machines types from Ficep
Tipo A15, Tipo A25, Tipo A31, series for drilling and flame cutting

In these drilling machines, the first two numbers describe the sheet width to be machined by Tipo A 15 for 1500 mm sheet width, etc., whereby the usual sheet lengths are usually 6000 mm. As used machines are systems of the types Tipo A15, Tipo A 25 and Tipo A 31 available. All drilling units are equipped with a drilling spindle suitable for use with carbide tools and a tool changer. The newer plants in this series can mill too.

Ficep Tipo B161, Tipo B251, Tipo B254 series for drilling, punching and flame cutting

In these sheet metal working centers, the first two numbers describe the sheet width Tipo B 161 to be machined for a sheet width of 1600 mm, etc., whereby the usual sheet lengths are usually 6000 mm. In this model series, the machine is equipped with a drilling unit and tool changer, a punching unit and tool changer, and a torch cutting unit for oxy-fuel cutting and plasma cutting.

Ficep Tipo C16, Tipo C25 series for drilling, punching and flame cutting
Voortman V320, V330, V325 series for drilling, flame cutting and milling

In the V320 series, the unit is equipped with a drilling unit for high performance drilling with a tool changer and also with a flame cutting unit for oxy-fuel cutting or plasma cutting. The Voortman V330 series has two separate machining portals, which also allow separate drilling and simultaneous flame cutting.

Vernet MAG B, MAG evo series for drilling, punching and flame cutting

In the MAG B or MAG B² series, the machine is equipped with a drilling unit and a tool changer, a punching unit and a tool changer, as well as a torch cutting unit for oxy-fuel cutting and plasma cutting. In version B², the systems are equipped with a second processing unit on the same machine frame. In the MAG evo series the systems are designed for drilling, milling, marking, scribing and flame cutting. All these Vernet sheet metal working machines are designed for high speed machining.

The plates, sheets or flat steels are mainly drilled first in the different variations of this type of plant, signed and then burned out to the extent specified by the CNC control with an oxy-fuel burner or plasma torch. Both HSS cooling channel drills and the newer machines carbide drills with indexable inserts and solid carbide drills are used for drilling. These drills are all designed for high drilling performance with an internal cooling channel. The drilling tools are cooled directly at the cutting edge and thus wear out slower, which enables higher drilling performance and longer tool life. Various systems can also lower and thread on the drilling unit. Since about 2017, some of the new plants have a particularly stable drilling unit, which also enables milling. In many cases, the sheet metal centers also have a marking unit with embossing wheel or as a milling unit. The flame cutting takes place either with an autogenous cutting torch or with the plasma flame cutting technique. Oxy-fuel cutting is used for thicker sheets (from 20 mm) and plasma cutting for thinner sheets (below 30 mm). As a plasma cutting source mostly plasma devices from Hypertherm or Kjellberg are used. Due to the continuous modernization of the plasma flame cutting technology, the accuracy and cutting performance are continuously improved and today also achieve much higher cutting thicknesses (30 to 50 mm) with simultaneously higher accuracies.

Automatic drilling machines are available from Peddinghaus (types FDB 600 and Wagner WBZ 1000 (now Kaltenbach) since about 1984. These drilling machines are since then an important component for an economic flat steel processing of top plates, foot plates and gusset plates. Only the older boring machines are after an overhaul by Nenok very robust machines with a high level of reliability Nenok has sold more than 80 used machines of this type over the past 20 years, and in order to economically operate the drilling machines it is necessary to purchase programming software for CAD data transfer in DSTV or DXF format If the software is no longer available in the machine, Nenok will gladly offer you the right software.

 

Here are some photos with examples of modern and economical sheet metal working centers.