Peddinghaus BDU-1100/3

The Peddinghaus BDU-1100/3 is a three-spindle CNC beam drilling machine built for structural steel fabricators who need three-face drilling capability without the full footprint and capital commitment of a large drill line. The BDU-1100/3 positions independent drilling spindles at the top flange, bottom flange, and web of the workpiece, enabling simultaneous drilling of all three faces — the operational model that defines production-class beam drilling and that single-spindle machines fundamentally cannot match in cycle time on multi-hole beam patterns.

Peddinghaus designed the BDU-1100/3 to handle beams up to 1,100 mm in height, which covers the standard range of wide-flange sections, columns, H-piles, and heavy channels used across commercial construction, industrial structures, and infrastructure projects. Each spindle is servo-driven and independently positioned, so the machine can simultaneously execute different hole diameters, different depths, and different flange patterns on all three faces in a single pass. An automatic tool changer on each spindle enables transitions between drill sizes and countersink tools without stopping the cycle.

The machine runs on Peddinghaus's PeddiPro control platform, which manages all axis motion, clamping, tool management, and material feed from an operator-friendly touchscreen pendant. PeddiPro reads DSTV (NC1) files directly from Tekla Structures, SDS/2, and Advance Steel, allowing NC programs generated in the engineering office to run at the machine without manual translation. The control also provides real-time monitoring of spindle load, tool wear status, and feed rates, helping operators identify abnormal conditions before they result in broken tools or out-of-tolerance holes.

For fabricators running integrated beam processing lines, the BDU-1100/3 connects to infeed and outfeed roller conveyors, automatic clamping and centralizing systems, and downstream cold saws. This modular approach allows the machine to serve as the drilling core of a small-to-medium automated beam line, or to operate as a standalone high-productivity drill in shops that handle sawing and material handling separately. Peddinghaus's long history supplying structural fabricators means the BDU-1100/3 is supported by a broad network of service technicians and spare parts inventories in key industrial markets.

The BDU-1100/3 occupies a practical middle ground in the Peddinghaus lineup — offering genuine three-spindle parallel drilling performance and a 1,100 mm beam capacity in a package that mid-size fabricators can justify economically. It is particularly well suited to shops whose beam mix includes a high proportion of heavy sections but who do not yet need the full throughput of a large production drill line like the ABCM 1100.