An automated timber frame assembly line has been installed at Seven Oaks Joinery to cope with increasing volumes of timber frame kits.
The Neath-based manufacturer decided that a production line from JJ Smith & Co was the answer to the required extra capacity, rather than just adding traditional wooden benches.
“The advantages of an automated assembly line were clear and included the ability to produce a square panel on the specification every time, a reduction in the amount of manual nailing and the elimination of manual marking up of the top and bottom rails,”explained Seven Oaks joinery manager Peter Powis.
“In addition, we were keen to avoid the need for men to be climbing on and off the benches.”
Seven Oaks owner Jonathan Hale said using an automated bridge helped to get nailing centres exactly as the designer specifies, especially important for the racking strength of panels for multi-storey timber frame structures.
The company also purchased a new push fed saw with OptiMaster software, which Seven Oaks said had speeded up the cutting process of panel components.
