Compare Beam Fabrication Machines
70 to 80% of the beams that leave your shop have more than just bolt holes. It takes only 5 to 10 minutes to drill the bolt holes with a beam line, but there’s anywhere from 20 to 120 minutes of labor and machine time to make the copes, bevels, slots, notches, marking, etc. needed for a finished beam. So the average beam leaving your shop has 5 minutes of drilling and 1 hour of manual fabrication work in it.
Beams that leave a PythonX STRUCTURAL average 10 minutes total fabrication time. That’s a savings of at least 45 minutes per beam.
And that’s just the time savings. PythonX STRUCTURAL improves your entire operation, as it nearly eliminates all material handling, machine programming, tooling, rework and the redundant single-purpose machines you’re probably using now . . . like a beam drill line.
| Machine Capability | Single Spindle Beam Drill Line |
Three Spindle Beam Drill Line With Band Saw |
PythonX STRUCTURAL |
| Produces Quality Bolt Holes | YES | YES | YES |
| Maximum Hole Diameter | 2" (50 mm) | 2" (50 mm) | 24" (609 mm) |
| Produce Layout Marks for Clips & Stiffeners | LIMITED | LIMITED | YES |
| Downloads from Design/Detailing Software (TEKLA, SDS/2, StruCAD, ProSTEEL, AUTOCAD) |
YES | YES | ANY SHAPE |
| Time to Cut-to-Length one W24 x 100 | INCAPABLE | 5 MINUTES | 1 min 15 sec |
| Automatic Part Handling (set it and forget it) | FLIP MANUALLY | YES | YES |
| Cut Copes with CNC Accuracy | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Make Cutouts for Bracing & Knife Connections | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Text Scribing - any size | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Fabricate Complete Stair Stringers (including Tread layout) |
INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Miter Cut | INCAPABLE | COSTLY OPTION | YES |
| Cut Slots & Any Other Shapes | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Weld Prep Bevel Cut | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Rip I-Beams into T-Beams | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Tool Change Required | YES | YES | NEVER |
| Overall Production Output | SLOW | AVERAGE | FASTEST |
| Price | LOWEST | HIGHEST | MID RANGE |
| Machine Capability | Single Spindle Beam Drill Line | Three Spindle Beam Drill Line With Band Saw | PythonX |
| Produces Quality Bolt Holes | YES | YES | YES |
| Maximum Hole Diameter | 2" (50 mm) | 2" (50 mm) | 24" (609 mm) |
| Produce Layout Marks for Clips & Stiffeners | LIMITED | LIMITED | YES |
| Downloads from Design/Detailing Software (TEKLA, SDS/2, StruCAD, ProSTEEL, AUTOCAD) | YES | YES | ANY SHAPE |
| Time to Cut-to-Length one W24 x 100 | INCAPABLE | 5 MINUTES | 1 min. 15 sec. |
| Automatic Part Handling - set it and forget it | FLIP MANUALLY | YES | YES |
| Cut Copes with CNC Accuracy | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Make Cutouts for Bracing & Knife Connections | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Text Scribing - any size | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Fabricate Complete Stair Stringers (including Tread layout) | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Miter Cut | INCAPABLE | COSTLY OPTION | YES |
| Cut Slots & Any Other Shapes | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Weld Prep Bevel Cut | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Rip I-Beams into T-Beams | INCAPABLE | INCAPABLE | YES |
| Tool Change Required | YES | YES | NEVER |
| Overall Production Output | SLOW | AVERAGE | FASTEST |
| Price | LOWEST | HIGHEST | MID RANGE |
Since introducing the PythonX to our shop, we’ve substantially increased our production. This is our first and only beamline and it has greatly benefited our shop, increasing quality and output.
Yes, people make mistakes: in reading drawings, in layout, in programming and in manual cutting. PythonX STRUCTURAL eliminates these sources of human error. With the right drawing file and the right piece of steel, it will produce the right part every time. You won’t believe how much that can improve your margins.
The PythonX Structural Fabrication System has helped us increase production by 300% since it was installed. I have no idea how we would be able to get this work out without this machine.