The Pichler family has been in business since 1880. Philip Pichler is the fifth generation to work in the timber construction company. Early on in the company’s history, several special projects, such as the construction of churches and bridges, were carried out in addition to the traditional carpentry work. True to this principle, the company makes every customer request a reality today.
Loyal customer
In 2000, the company took a big step forward. Hannes Pichler, who represents the fourth generation and took over the company in 1989, bought a Hundegger K2. From 1999 to 2000, the joinery machine model was changed. At that time, the traditional family business received the second K2 ever delivered.
This investment led to a huge push for modernization. “The K2 was able to cover many requirements. Even back then, maximum flexibility was required,” Pichler recalls.
When the company considered making a new investment to further increase flexibility, it quickly became clear that they would choose Hundegger again. “Hundegger was always in the race because of the positive experience we’ve had with the company. Of course, we also looked at other suppliers, but Hundegger’s service is just unrivaled. Whenever we have problems, their customer service is available immediately, and spare parts are delivered to our production site in no time. This kind of service is priceless, and Hundegger’s overall design and approach is just right for us,” Hannes Pichler tells us.
Regional all-rounder
“In our business, flexibility is key,” Philip Pichler says, explaining the requirements for the machine park. “We offer the entire range of carpentry. Everything is possible: from an extension or a bus stop to a hotel. That’s why we have to be able to respond perfectly to every regional request,” Hannes Pichler adds.
“Given these requirements for the machine, it quickly became clear that a Robot-Drive was the best choice,” Arno Gaggl, Hundegger Austria’s representative, tells us. “It was always a very pleasant partnership. Philip got all the information online beforehand and was well prepared for our meetings,” Gaggl says, describing the constructive consultations.
Ultimately, Holzbau Pichler opted for a Robot-Drive 650 which can join elements with cross-sections from 20 x 60 to 300 x 650 mm. “A six-axis robotic arm does all the processing. The 24 tools are adapted to the customer’s individual needs. The Pichler family also wanted to have an Ink-Jet as additional feature,” Gaggl explains.
In addition to solid structural timber and glulam, Holzbau Pichler processes and joins lumber and also offers contract joining. “If our customers have a forest and want to have their own wood processed, we are happy to do that for them. Some of our customers also like to watch the joining process,” Hannes Pichler says, illustrating the company’s high level of customer orientation. “The machine is not afraid of anything. It can process anything, from lumber to BauBuche,” Gaggl adds. Thus, the new Hundegger machine meets all the requirements for flexible production.
Optimized interface
The constructions are planned and drawn by Philip Pichler and an additional technician. Since the Robot-Drive was installed, the transfer of CAD data to the machine has become much easier. “In principle, we could also implement everything with the old program, but we needed to do a lot of programming until the machine managed to do what we wanted. Fortunately, that is no longer a problem,” Philip Pichler says about the simpler preparation work.
Staying on top of everything
The company chose to have an Ink-Jet as an additional feature because it makes everything clearer for everyone during assembly and on the construction site. Each element is marked after joining. “Since we have the Ink-Jet, people no longer overlook elements. We can find everything immediately and there is no more confusion. We already know where the elements belong when they are unloaded from the truck. This is very important, especially when we build complex roof structures. It saves us an enormous amount of time in logistics and assembly. Also, we can deploy our staff more efficiently now,” Philip Pichler says, who is enthusiastic about the additional feature.
Rethinking production
One of the first projects the new joinery machine was used for was the company’s own. The Robot-Drive was delivered at the beginning of 2022. In autumn, the family business completed the construction of another 440 m²-big hall – using the Robot Drive for the joinery work. As part of the expansion, the production process was also revised and optimized. Up until then, the joinery and assembly areas were both housed in one hall, which constantly caused problems due to lack of space. Thanks to the new building, the two areas are now separate and the production process is much smoother.
In the course of the construction of the new hall, the roof was also equipped with a 75-kW photovoltaic system. The sawdust, wood chips and offcuts, which accumulate during joining, are used to heat the production hall and the adjacent house of the Pichler family. Thus, the company is completely self-sustaining when it comes to heat and electricity. Also, the new Robot-Drive has a significantly lower energy consumption than the K2.
