BOOSTING STEEL FABRICATION EFFICIENCY WITH FICEP VALIANT CNC DRILLING TECHNOLOGY

In the evolving world of structural steel fabrication, companies are constantly looking for ways to increase productivity, improve accuracy, and ensure safer working conditions. Advanced automation is no longer a future goal—it is a present necessity. This is where FICEP introduces VALIANT, a CNC beam drilling machine designed to meet the highest demands of modern steel construction.

Built to process beams up to 2,000 mm, VALIANT delivers exceptional performance across all standard profiles used in civil and industrial applications. Its integration with automatic handling systems—such as roller conveyors and cross transfer tables—allows fabricators to move toward fully automated production lines, reducing manual intervention while improving workflow efficiency.

At the heart of VALIANT lies a powerful and highly efficient drilling concept. The machine is equipped with 3 Direct Drive spindles, engineered to transfer the full motor power directly to the tool. This results in consistently high performance, even in the most demanding production environments. Thanks to its advanced design, VALIANT can perform drilling operations on three sides simultaneously without the need to reposition the beam, significantly reducing cycle times and increasing throughput.

To further enhance productivity, each spindle can be equipped with an automatic 14-position tool changer, enabling fast tool selection and minimizing downtime during processing. This configuration ensures maximum flexibility and efficiency, especially when multiple operations are required within the same cycle.

Beyond drilling, VALIANT stands out for its remarkable versatility. It can perform a wide range of operations in a single setup, including advanced milling tasks such as slots and block copes, as well as tapping, countersinking, and multi-side scribing. Fabricators can also perform weld access holes—commonly known as rat holes—and weld preparation directly on the machine, minimizing or eliminating secondary processes. The result is improved precision, greater repeatability and a more streamlined production flow.

One of the key strengths of VALIANT is its ability to integrate seamlessly with other advanced steel fabrication technologies. It can operate as a stand-alone CNC drilling machine or be combined into a complete automated line, depending on production needs.

When integrated with the KATANA band sawing system, VALIANT becomes part of a highly efficient cutting and drilling solution. KATANA is designed to deliver fast, high-quality cuts, including double and triple miter cuts, while its automatic unloading system reduces manual handling and improves safety when dealing with heavy components. KATANA can perform cuts up to 60° mitered cuts in both directions and of the highest quality. KATANA is integrated with an automatic unloading device with a magnet that allows the processed short pieces to be unloaded automatically. This is done without the intervention of the operator who, in this way, is relieved from handling the pieces, a phase that can be particularly dangerous when handling heavy pieces.
Both machines can be controlled by a single numerical control developed in-house by FICEP, and equipped with the innovative, easy-to-use Steel Projects software.

Alternatively, VALIANT can be combined with the NOZOMI automatic 9-axis CNC thermal coping robot, unlocking an even higher level of fabrication capability. In this configuration, drilling, scribing, and milling operations can run in parallel with thermal cutting processes such as coping, openings, weld preparation, and cut-offs. This allows fabricators to choose the most efficient process for each application, optimizing production strategies without compromising on quality.

The true advantage of these integrated systems lies in their ability to combine multiple technologies into a single, compact layout. By reducing the overall footprint while increasing the number of operations performed in parallel, manufacturers can maximize productivity within the available factory space—an increasingly important factor in modern production environments.

Automation also plays a critical role in improving workplace safety and addressing the ongoing shortage of skilled labor. By reducing the need for manual handling and limiting operator exposure to potentially hazardous tasks, VALIANT contributes to a safer and more sustainable working environment.

Ultimately, adopting advanced CNC drilling and integrated fabrication systems like VALIANT means gaining a competitive edge. Faster production cycles, reduced time-to-market, improved accuracy, and consistent repeatability all contribute to better overall performance.

With VALIANT, FICEP delivers not just a CNC beam drilling machine, but a complete solution designed to support the future of automated steel fabrication.