EVERS STAALCONSTRUCTIES: ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY WITH FICEP

A LONG-STANDING RELATIONSHIP, A NEW STEP FORWARD

TAILORED TECHNOLOGY

VALIANT + KATANA was selected to meet Evers’ specific production requirements, combining three drilling heads, scribing, milling, sawing and automation in one integrated solution.

PRODUCTIVITY IN PRACTICE

Faster machining, simultaneous drilling operations and automated tool changing help Evers streamline its production flow and make better use of its available capacity.

BUILT ON EXPERIENCE

With FICEP and Steel Projects supporting the transition to the new system, Evers has strengthened its production capabilities while building on a long-standing relationship with FICEP.

For Evers Staalconstructies bv, choosing a new drill-saw line was not simply a matter of replacing existing equipment. The Dutch steel construction company was looking for a solution that could increase productivity, introduce new machining capabilities and fit efficiently into its compact production environment.

Founded in 1934, Evers is a family-owned company based in Hillegom-Holland, where around 50 employees manufacture steel constructions, stairways, gates and components for renovation projects.

The company has a long-standing relationship with FICEP and, when the time came to invest in a new drill-saw line, this experience was combined with a detailed evaluation of the technologies available on the market.

A SOLUTION BUILT AROUND SPECIFIC PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS

When Evers began evaluating options for its new saw-drill line, the company first defined the key requirements the new system would have to meet. These included three drilling heads, greater automation, automatic tool changing, a wide range of available tools and, above all, advanced scribing capabilities to improve the efficiency of the operations following machining.

“We don’t have the biggest factory, so that’s something we had to take into account,” explains Mr. Remco Graas, Project Coordinator at Evers. “At the same time, we wanted to innovate in terms of new functionalities. For us, scribing was very important, and milling was also important.”

After comparing the different options, FICEP VALIANT + KATANA emerged as the solution that best matched the company’s requirements.

VALIANT + KATANA: COMBINING DRILLING, SCRIBING AND SAWING

The system installed at Evers combines the VALIANT CNC drilling machine with three drilling heads and the KATANA sawing unit.

One of the VALIANT’s key features was the 300 mm sub-axis, enabling faster scribing and simultaneous drilling of non-opposite holes, providing an additional productivity advantage.

Automation was another important part of the investment. Automatic tool changing means that the operator does not have to manually change tools for every operation, while the availability of multiple tools allows the machine to handle different machining requirements more efficiently.

SPEED THAT SUPPORTS THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION FLOW

The new FICEP system has brought a significant increase in machining speed. For Evers, however, productivity is not simply about making the machine itself faster: the entire production flow needs to remain balanced.

The additional capacity generated by the new system has also created new opportunities for Evers. According to Mr. Hans Graas, Director of the company, the machine’s performance allows them to use part of this capacity to carry out work for other companies as well.

“The machine is so fast, so we can also do work for other firms” he says.

A NEW LEVEL OF PRODUCTIVITY AFTER THE LEARNING CURVE

Introducing a new CNC system also required the Evers team to adapt to new ways of working. The first few months were therefore an important learning phase, particularly in relation to scribing and machine calibration. As the team gained experience, the benefits of the new system became increasingly evident.

“After three or four months, we really started to see significant improvements,” says Mr. Hans Graas. “And we are still making progress as we become more familiar with the machine and learn how to make the most of its capabilities.”

TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTED BY FICEP AND STEEL PROJECTS

For Evers, the investment is also supported by the technical relationship with FICEP and Steel Projects, FICEP software house.

The company highlights the importance of having both the machine manufacturer and the software side working together, particularly when introducing a new automated production process.

“The contact with Steel Projects in combination with FICEP was really important,” says Mr. Remco Graas.

After almost a year of operation, the VALIANT + KATANA has become an integral part of Evers’ production environment, combining drilling, scribing, milling, sawing and automation in a solution designed around the company’s specific requirements.

And when we asked whether they would recommend FICEP to other companies, Mr. Hans Graas has a clear answer:

“Yes, of course. And we do. We have colleagues who do the same as we do, and they ask us how the FICEP machine is working. We say: it’s very good. Come and see it.”

For Evers Staalconstructies, the investment in the FICEP VALIANT + KATANA represents another step in a long history of evolution: combining the expertise built over generations with technology designed to make steel construction more efficient, precise and productive.