There are a variety of options out there when it comes to vertical drills for flat glass businesses. With choices ranging from simple, compact, and affordable to highly automated and Industry 4.0-ready, you may be stuck trying to determine what vertical drilling machine is right for you and your business. Here are the top three factors you should considering when looking for a vertical drill:

Cost

For most businesses, cost is a critical factor. Machinery is a large investment and no matter which choice you make; you will be spending a significant amount of money. At the same time, cost can be a short-sighted factor. Considering more long-term aspects such the return on investment and lifetime of the machine should also be important. A higher-cost machine could provide you with a better ROI if you are able to complete your drilling more quickly and more accurately.

Also critical to the concept of cost, is maintenance and repair. Finding a machine that will be easy to maintain and repair will keep your long-term costs lower, but this may mean a higher upfront investment is necessary. It is important to know your budget but be willing to adjust it if other factors come into play.

Design and Size

Depending on your shop floor layout as well as your glass production needs, you will need to determine what size machine you need and what size you have the space for – unfortunately, these are not always compatible. Depending on the manufacturer, you may be able to work with a sales rep to create a customized solution that can meet both of those requirements. Additionally, you can often find compact vertical drills with open designs that provide more flexibility in your drilling options.

Automated Capabilities

As the flat glass industry continues to move towards Industry 4.0, more and more machines are focusing on automation and connecting to the Internet and other machines. It is also becoming an important component of improved maintenance and repair capabilities. Of course, these options make the machines more costly and they may not be a good fit for smaller businesses. Determining if automation is absolutely necessary is important to making a final decision on a vertical drill purchase.

No matter what requirements you have for a vertical drill, our sales team here at Matodi is willing to help you decide the best fit for your business with a range of vertical drills from Sulak and Neptun that can work for you on cost, design, and automation.