Peddinghaus Corporation was founded in 1903. It is a family run business with the fourth generation now in control, Anton in USA and other countries, Cilla in Europe. Their early machines were hand operated punch and shears. It was in the 1930s that they mechanised these machines, so when I joined the structural steel fabrication industry in 1967, Peddinghaus were synonymous with and famous for their punch and shear range of machines.
Their next major move was in 1974 into (NC) beam drill lines. My own relationship with Peddinghaus was continued when we purchased a threehead microprocessor controlled drill line and hydraulic template plate and profile punch machines which were state-of-the-art for the time (we could not afford a nine-spindle drilling for which drilling data was inputted with paper-tape) and what a difference it made to our production capacity!
Peddinghaus became a member of the SAISC in 2012 and have been very involved in many of our projects both as sponsors and participants. It seems to be company policy to join the equivalent of the SAISC in each country they operate (BCSA in UK, Instituto Mexicano de la Construcción en Acero A.C. in Mexico, Deutscher Stahlbau Verband in Germany etc.).
What is so exciting to see is their enormous range of machines and models:
■ Drill lines – four to choose from
■ Plate processors – four to choose from
■ Angle/detail machines – four to choose from
■ Thermal cutting/coping – two to choose from
■ Automated layout marking
■ PeddiWriter
■ Band saws – four to choose from
■ Ironworkers (using the American term to describe punch and shear’s machines) – three to choose from
■ Shot blasters
■ And software
So it is not surprising that I have opted to delve into just a few of their products highlighting what is new and exciting (you can, of course, visit their website www.peddinghaus.com for much more information and detail).
DRILL LINES
The drill line choices include the latest innovation in Peddinghaus drilling technology which is capable of drilling, tapping, countersinking, milling, and four-axis layout marking which could include a five-station tool changer (making their three-spindle machines extremely versatile), lead screw spindle motion, and an all-new comprehensive clamping system.
Other developments in the drill line range include a compact shop footprint model, SignoScript carbide part marking, 1800 RPM spindle speeds, Smart Spindle II technology and automatically adjusting roller measurement micro mist coolant.
Peddinghaus claims that with the combination of time-tested Peddinghaus technology and these new enhancements makes their machines the most innovative drill lines in the world today.
PLATE PROCESSING
What surprises me most when I chat to companies who have invested in modern NC machinery that in some form or another, those that have gone the plate processing route comment that had they realised what a difference plate processing has made for their productivity, they would have bought that machine first! Or that it is the plate processor that works round the clock. Makes you think… (Well, at least I hope so!).
The High Speed FDB utilises an eight tool rotary tool changer that travels with the spindle throughout its full range of motion. It can offer sufficient power for milling, drilling, an impressive 2250 RPM drilling speed and more. Plasma and punching options, together with a small footprint model are available.
A new innovation from Peddinghaus, the HSFDB-C, now applies bevel cutting to their unique pass through design of material handling. Peddinghaus’ plate machines utilise a unique roller measurement system, which allows for less operator intervention during the material handling process, and lower scrap ratios due to tighter nesting and unique cutting capabilities.
ANGLE DETAILING
Precision, accuracy, intelligence, and strength combined with comprehensive material dimensioning makes the Anglemaster-HD exceptional. By sensing the thickness of materials, the system is both the fastest Anglemaster offered by Peddinghaus, and the most powerful, capable of processing materials up to 25mm in thickness.
The Peddinghaus Anglemaster REVOLUTION model is a groundbreaking design that features an industry first: a rotating punch press capable of processing both legs of angle, part marking on both sides of angle, and processing plate material loaded from either side of the conveyor.
The Peddinghaus AFCPS-823 Anglemaster utilises the technologies of hydraulic punching and shearing with one unit for processing angle iron, channel and flat bar detail components.
THE RING OF FIRE
What a name, but what a machine! It is no ordinary coping (notching as we generally refer to it in SA) machine. The Ring of Fire is able to accommodate whatever bottleneck you may have.
So if you:
■ Have an overloaded drilling machine? Send floor beams and miscellaneous sections to the Ring of Fire to expedite production.
■ Cannot justify the cost of a miter saw? The Ring of Fire can cut to length, and miter cut any section with ease.
■ Want to achieve four-axis layout marking? The Ring of Fire can perform layout on all four sides of a profile, eliminating the need for additional mechanisms for drill lines, or a standalone option that cannot perform other processes.
■ Need clip angles, purlin cleats etc. but don’t need an angle line? The Ring of Fire is ideal for all angle components, from angle bracing to clips – it can cope, notch, and place holes.
■ Want to make lots of stair stringers, or maybe just want to notch beams?
This is another one of those “makes you think” machines…
THE PEDDIWRITER
Yet another industry first from Peddinghaus, the PeddiWriter does the work of an entire team of layout personnel. Whether it’s accuracy or efficiency your business needs to remain competitive, the PeddiWriter provides both – streamlining production, and minimising the opportunity for error.
HANDLING
The amount of money we waste in handling our steel, picking it up and putting it down at the next station etc. is dramatic. Peddinghaus has a wide range of solutions and of course will help you find the ideal solution for the (maybe crazy) configuration in your works.
CONCLUSION
Even if you think you are too small for modern equipment, think again. If you have older generation equipment, modern technology is making the new machines even faster (1mm a second drilling time in days gone by, today a 22mm diameter hole in 20mm plate takes 2 to 3 seconds.).
If you have not yet gotten into plate processing, you cannot afford to sit around any longer.
Do not forget, you do not have to buy all the machines at once, but you can plan and dream for the future, because the increased profits you should achieve by a planned investment spread over years will pay for the second machine and the third and so forth.
You can contact Peddinghaus South Africa through Patrick Pereira at patrickpereira@peddinghaus.com or + 27 82 821 6974.
