FACE TO FACE
Tele-handler chassis component processed on CNC Gemini system .
Milling tool .
Entering new markets
Since the 1950s and 1960s , FICEP has aimed for an international presence with a foot in every geographically important area . Its strategy is to supply different regions with products in line with their economic cycles . This also diversifies its markets and revenues and has been particularly important during the pandemic , especially during periods when its personnel could not travel .
The Italian manufacturer has also successfully transferred the technologies it uses for the structural steel fabrication industry ( transmission towers , bridges , buildings etc .) to other industry sectors such as metal service centres ; job shops ; shipyards ; steel agricultural machinery and , most recently , the wind tower industry .
“ We started using plasma / oxycutting technologies in the eighties , but our strength was always our ability to combine different technologies on one single machine for different types of operations i . e . drilling , marking , scribing , cutting etc . Once we decided to move into parallel markets , such as job shops and service centres , we were asked just to deploy specific , for example , plasma cutting technologies with multi-heads / torches . Now , we are doing cross-transfer deployment of technologies between different industries ,” explained Colombo .
The offshore wind tower industry , which is currently booming worldwide , has been a key new sector for FICEP . Colombo saw an opportunity to use FICEP ’ s automated processes for prerolling and post-rolling operations in the wind tower industry . This includes processes such as assembly , welding , shotblasted , painted , handling , milling , cutting etc . Boiler-making is another industry sector of interest to FICEP .
“ We are also taking the same approach for customers who manufacture chassis for earthmoving equipment ( e . g . truck loaders , pallet handlers , bucket elevators etc .). The chassis are made of very thick steel plate , with lots of drilled holes and some weld preparation . Our multi-technology machines handle these processes so that parts can go directly to assembly , with no further operations needed . This shortens lead times , makes processes more accurate and reduces costs . We are streamlining the value chain for customers , enabling them to bring down all their internal logistics costs ( not just machine / capital asset costs ),” Colombo explained .
Digital transformation
A key differentiator for FICEP was its purchase , several years ago , of a French software company which specialises in manufacturing execution systems ( MES ) to control production operations . This helped propel FICEP on its path to providing total solutions to its customers and gave it a broader outlook on Industry 4.0 , as well as a new digital transformation path , that has driven its machine development ever since .
“ We saw real opportunity for Industry 4.0 and the chance to do something concrete with the data being gathered by our machines . This prompted us to buy the French MES software firm . Previously , we had focused on the internal value chain ( delivery of material to machine , moving material to different working stations , overall material process ,
Energy CNC plate edge milling line .
We will be launching our new , redesigned , web-oriented and cloud-connected HMI at EMO Milano 2021
overall quality control , material sorting etc .). Now , we deploy Industry 4.0 to the maximum and are now involved with secondary operations like deburring so , even if we don ’ t supply the actual deburring machine , we do supply the software to manage material movement to the next operation so that customer parts can be tracked etc .,” explained Colombo .
“ For example , we were the first to deploy a concept called 4D or 5D in structural steel fabrication . You can use a 3D model with different colours and information added to the model to show the different operations on a part . The 3D model therefore becomes a virtual communication tool for part traceability , cost , availability etc . These concepts bring multicommunication tools to another level , and we are bringing this to industry sectors like job shops etc .,” he added .
FICEP has moved on from teleservices that connect to machines for troubleshooting etc . It now stores continuous streams of data from its machines and can process it , create reports and key indicators from it as well as report any potential risks . This is an important technical development that
50 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR October 2021