Stacks of wood up to five meters high no longer have to be climbed with a ladder.∼ Christian Weidenhüller, Operations Manager Biber Holzbearbeitung GmbH
Vacuum suction spider SSP-HD: efficient handling of cross laminated timber
Biber Holzbearbeitung GmbH was faced with a major challenge: constantly climbing up and down stacks of wood several meters high was strenuous and dangerous. Schmalz released a solution to this problem with the vacuum suction spider SSP-HD specially developed for cross-laminated timber panels. The result is 20 % more productivity, reduced cycle times, a 25 % higher storage capacity and maximum safety.
Characteristics of the success story
| Industry | Wood |
|---|---|
| Workpiece | Solid wood panels |
| Product group | Suction Spiders |
| Type of handling | Automated handling |
With Schmalz
20
percent
productivity increase
14
percent
cycle time optimization
The Customer: Biber Holzbearbeitung GmbH
Biber Holzbearbeitung GmbH is a medium-sized industrial wood working company with over 20 employees. The joinery center is a subsidiary of ABA HOLZ van Kempen GmbH (sales partner for Germany) and KLH Massivholz GmbH (manufacture of cross laminated timber). The company specializes in the processing of cross laminated timber (CLT) and is known for its precise manufacturing processes and high-quality timber products. With its modern production facilities and a motivated team, the company has established itself as reliable partner in the timber industry.
The Challenge
Biber Holzbearbeitung GmbH faced considerable challenges in the manual handling of cross-laminated timber panels. Five employees per shift had to move around 50 wooden boards with weights of up to four tons every day using forged squared hooks. This manual process was not only inefficient, but also safety-critical. The biggest strain was the physically demanding material handling: stacks of wood up to five meters high had to be regularly climbed using ladders. This work at height required constant attention with regard to occupational safety. With only ten lifting operations per hour and a cycle time of around three minutes per operation, productivity in timber logistics was significantly limited. The lack of automation technology for pre-sorting the raw boards led to delays in the material flow and limited the growth potential. In addition, several squared timbers had to be manually inserted or removed between each sheet in order to be able to reach underneath with the squared hooks. The company recognized the potential to significantly increase the process speed with modern automation technology. The key challenges were to improve safety and speed up the process at the same time. The company was looking for an innovative, semi-automated solution for handling cross laminated timber that would sustainably improve both occupational safety and efficiency.
Schmalz's Solution
The company's online research led them directly to Schmalz, one of the market leaders in automation with vacuum and ergonomic handling systems. Following an in-depth consultation, a custom-made solution was quickly developed: a specially configured suction traverse for the semi-automated handling of cross-laminated timber panels. The vacuum suction spider SSP-HD was designed as a custom solution for special requirements. Using advanced vacuum technology, it safely and precisely handles large-format wooden boards – even joint-glued ones. With a load capacity of four tons, it is designed specifically for heavy cross-laminated timber panels. Its special feature: The platform's suction units are rotatable and adapt to the orientation of the deck layer at the touch of a button on the remote control. This ensures a reliable suction force on length- and cross-oriented wooden lamellas and enables precise pre-sorting of raw boards. The result is an optimized material flow in wood logistics without delays from manual transfers. Implementation began in spring 2023. Plant manager Christian Weidenhüller described the collaboration with Schmalz as "very good" – a clear sign of the professional project management and technical expertise of the Schmalz team. The vacuum solution addresses safety concerns and represents future-proof automation technology for material handling. Thanks to the innovative vacuum technology and semi-automated operation, the solution significantly increases occupational safety, reduces manual physical strain and boosts productivity in wood working.
Customer benefits through the Schmalz solution
Productivity increaseThe vacuum suction spider SSP-HD increases the number of lifting operations per hour from 10 to 15, as hooks no longer have to be applied/removed manually. Measurable efficiency gains in timber logistics.
Occupational safety through automationNo more ladder work with high timber stacks. Semi-automated vacuum handling eliminates dangerous work at heights and significantly reduces physical strain on employees.
Optimized material flowConstant process speed without delays and precise pre-sorting of raw panels accelerates the entire logistics chain and increases storage capacity by 25%.
Highest availability and reliability97 percent system availability thanks to robust vacuum technology from Schmalz. The rotatable suction units automatically adapt to length and cross layers.
Flexible partial automationThe solution handles sheets from 60 – 300 mm in height and up to 16.5 meters in length. Rotatable suction units enable universal applicability in modern wood working.
Products used in the application
