The reorganization of the new production department in Crosio della Valle

A further step forward in terms of production efficiency and quality

The recent reorganization of the production department in Crosio della Valle, equipped with two new Mazak HCN 8800 lines and the advanced FMS automatic pallet handling system, also from Mazak, marks another step forward in the Lean Manufacturing optimization process started by FICEP many years ago.

The Production Manager, Eng. Loris Reato, describes some of the main aspects of this recent upgrade, which leads the company to increase its production capacity of drilling and sawing lines for the steel construction industry by a further 50%. A production infrastructure that provides flexibility and productivity while maintaining high levels of parts precision.

The 6000 sqm machining area, part of a total production area of 14200 sqm, houses two HCN 8800 side-by-side lines with 112 pallets. Each line consists of three horizontal machining centers and three loading stations – two manual and one with a tilt option that gives the opportunity to automate the loading and unloading of parts with a robotic system, for further production optimization.

“This department was born more than twenty years ago with the bold vision of the company management to use the best performing machines available on the market: a choice that has proved to be the winning one over the years, with a constant growth in productivity. This new investment fits in this vision” comments Eng. Loris Reato.

The two new lines allow uninterrupted operation 24 hours a day, handling a wide variety of machining operations. In addition, the new unit is equipped with advanced software solutions to optimize the production planning and the work program management.

The central focus of this industrial investment plan is the new FMS system integrated with two 5-axis V100/200N VERSATECH machining centers from Mazak with a 4×2.1 m table and 28 ton load capacity: a completely different and much larger type of machine for machining large parts, which allows the Crosio della Valle facility to produce class A and B components to supply the adjacent assembly areas of the beam drilling and cutting lines.

In addition to these new production units, the reorganization of the assembly activities of the drilling and sawing lines was completed in the new production department. This strategic decision eliminates the need to move parts between different factories, significantly improving efficiency and drastically cutting logistics costs. In addition, the proximity of the assembly and machining areas allows for smoother management of production schedules and optimal synchronization between the two processes.

Finally, the combination of the production lines of drilling and sawing units, product categories that, in 80% of cases, are sold in tandem, further optimizes the production.

FICEP’s HR department, in order to feed the plant’s operations, has launched major recruiting initiatives to attract local talent and industry professionals. The professional figures sought are mainly from the technical area: assemblers, testers and travelling operators.

With the continuous Lean improvement of this new production department, which is now fully operational, Ficep Group is consolidating and reinforcing its assets in order to meet the growing needs of its customers and maintain its leading position in the sector of machine tools for the processing of angle profiles, beams and plates.