The history of the single-spindle drilling machine for profiles FICEP EXCALIBUR

It was 1973 when the first single-spindle CNC drilling line for machining steel profiles, called PM 1200 and manufactured by the French company Promat, was introduced in the market. This groundbreaking model was equipped with a patented clamping device, and within a short time, n.6 of these machines were sold to major steel manufacturers.

Two years later, in 1975, at the EMO exhibition in Paris, a semi-automatic and manual version with a slightly reduced capacity (1000 mm instead of 1200 mm) named PM 1000 was presented to the world. This machine was designed for small steel producers and cost 50% less than its predecessor. The success of the PM 1000 was remarkable and allowed many small entrepreneurs to enter the market with semi-automatic processing.

In 1977, the CNC version of PM 1000 was launched. This model became an instant success, continuing to drive sales in an increasingly competitive market.

From 1973 to 1989, around n.200 of these single-spindle drilling lines were sold worldwide!

Recognising the strong potential of this machine and understanding the possibilities for success on the global market, in 1990 FICEP French subsidiary, FICEP France, decided to acquire Promat Industrie and, in collaboration with the Italian headquarter, continued producing these successful machines in Camblanes, France.

Between 1991 and 1995, other n.20 machines model PM 1000 were produced and sold. Given the unstoppable success, FICEP began developing a new single-spindle CNC drilling machine, the 1001D. From 1996 to 2004, hundreds drilling machines were assembled and delivered in France and abroad.

In 2005, the growing demand for single-spindle drilling machines led FICEP to introduce a new model, the VICTORY 11, with a working capacity increased to 1100 mm. This model was a huge success, with many sales worldwide within a few years.

In 2010, the saga of CNC single-spindle drilling machines continued with the design of the EXCALIBUR, a machine with a capacity of 1200 mm, equipped with an automatic tool changer and an auxiliary horizontal axis for marking, milling and processing of slotted holes.

The latest innovation came in 2022, when FICEP unveiled the new EXCALIBUR 12, an upgraded version of the first EXCALIBUR with a new design and advanced functionalities, bringing yet another breath of innovation to the industry.

Since we first launched our 1001D model, more than n.5000 units of our single-spindle drilling machine have been manufactured and installed all over the world!

And FICEP story continues, with its ongoing quest for perfection and innovation: in 2023, another step forward was taken with the launch of a brand new single-spindle machine model, XBLADE, the CNC line for drilling, tapping, milling and sawing with disc blade. This new model incorporates all the features and advantages of the Excalibur, but with an entirely new and highly advanced design. It also includes disc blade cutting and 5-axis machining within the same work cell, making this product truly unique in the market. Hence the name XBLADE: an EXCALIBUR (a famous medieval war blade that does not cut) with the addition of a blade (the concept of which goes back to a warrior blade used by knights in the Middle Ages).