Effortless cutting of large format panels in wood element construction
For Reto Gentsch, owner and managing director of Walter Schwendimann AG, short transport routes in production, modern production facilities and self-reliant carpenters are the key to the successful daily manufacture of wood construction products. The STRIEBIG CONTROL 7274 fully meets these objectives. Thus processes in the '1-person cutting' of large-format panels in the 6000 x 2500 mm format could be optimised, thereby increasing both the efficiency and added value of the company.
Breaking peaks and keeping added value in the company
A STRIEBIG STANDARD II has been in operation at Walter Schwendimann AG since 1995. However, due to the increase in cuts there were bottlenecks on the existing machine. As a result of the heavy workload, some of the carpenters had to wait until the Striebig was available. Large format panels in the 6000 x 2500 mm format could not be cut to size either. In order to break the peaks and to keep the added value in the company when cutting the large format panels, Walter Schwendimann AG finally decided to purchase a second STRIEBIG.
Modern infrastructure for a traditional company
“The investment in the new STRIEBIG CONTROL has completely paid off. The ability to cut large format panels ourselves is ideal.”
The traditional Walter Schwendimann AG from the Zurcher Weinland has 22 employees, including 4 apprentices. Taken over in 2011 by Reto Gentsch and his wife Andrea, the company is mainly active in wood element construction and the renovation of old buildings. The new production hall was built in 2019 with regional partners and local woods, sustainability is key from start to finish.
Reto Gentsch
Wood construction technician HF, business owner of Walter Schwendimann AG
Always striving for independence of the carpenters
The STRIEBIG CONTROL 7274 installed in the new hall is the main machine for the panel cutting of oriented strand boards (OSB) and 3-layer panels. These are brought directly from the large warehouse to the machine with the 4-way forklift. The CONTROL is loaded by a vacuum handling device which picks up the panels, turns them from horizontal to vertical and places them effortlessly on the roller support of the CONTROL. The CONTROL then takes over the automatic cutting of the panels. All functions can be centrally controlled and executed via the large and clear 12" touch screen. With the additional 4SB (four-sided trimming) option, the CONTROL enables the operator to automatically lift panels up to 300 kg, to hold them by means of a vacuum unit and to carry out the lower trimming cut automatically. After cutting, the panel is gently lowered onto the roller support of the CONTROL at the push of a button. With this option, the cutter can carry out the cut alone and effortlessly, even with large format panels. “This option is very important for us, as the time required for cutting is much shorter and the employee does not have to rely on the help of colleagues,” Reto Gentsch elaborates. “Being able to carry out the complete order processing from cutting to assembly on one's own promotes work motivation and ultimately the quality of work for the customer.” The owner of Walter Schwendimann AG is also very satisfied with the performance of the new main machine: “The investment in the new STRIEBIG CONTROL has completely paid off. The ability to cut large format panels ourselves is ideal. The CONTROL is fast, accurate and all employees enjoy making their cuts on the automatic saw.” For this reason, it is perfectly suited to optimally handle the increase of cuts - in both the growing area of wood element construction, and also for individual cuts in the area of old building renovations.
