With its twelve employees, Zitzelsberger Joinery from Geiersthal in the Bavarian Forest presents itself as a versatile all-rounder. In 2017, Junior Manager Stefan Zitzelsberger set the course for the future of the company, which was founded by his parents Anton and Cornelia in 1994. The Master Joiner and state-certified Wood Technician made the move into CNC machining. He opted for a fully-equipped 5-axis CNC machine, the Format4 H500. The plan was for this machine to act as a versatile all-rounder, bringing new momentum, high productivity, and maximum flexibility to their diverse manufacturing operations.
Creating Space for Growth
Since 2019, the Zitzelsberger team has been producing its goods in a new and spacious workshop on the B 85 highway. With the active support of Senior Manager Anton Zitzelsberger, the joinery at the new location has developed into a superbly organized and future-oriented company. In particular, the operational processes were significantly improved with the newly available production space, and all work areas were provided with the necessary room. The product portfolio includes custom furniture, high-quality interior fittings, and the production of front doors, interior doors, modern wooden windows, and stairs.
Taking Off with Technology
With its new CNC, Zitzelsberger jumped from zero to five axes. The machine, with the exact designation Format4 H500 16.56 S-Motion, leaves nothing to be desired. For example, the automatic consoles and vacuum pods contribute to short setup times and high productivity. From the very beginning, the machine opened up various new manufacturing possibilities, allowing the company to significantly expand its product range.
Stefan Zitzelsberger comments: "With the CNC, we can produce very precision-fit, high-quality furniture. Since the CNC also makes it possible to manufacture structural components and stairs, we can use the H500 flexibly and versatilely. It was a good and correct decision to place great value on the all-round capabilities of the CNC when making the investment. Our expectations have truly been met in every respect."
The machining center comes with the Format4 programming software "Woodflash" as well as the additional software module "F4 Frame" for the efficient production of windows and front doors, interior doors, and wood-aluminum windows.
A Seamless Workflow
At the 3D CAD/CAM workstation in the production planning department, Stefan Zitzelsberger and, since January, another colleague design custom furniture and interior fittings using "Topsolid-Wood" software. All parts such as sides, shelves, tops, and fronts are then output in clear parts lists, and cutting can begin immediately.
After cutting to size, the edges are banded. This is done on a Format4 Tempora 800, which Zitzelsberger purchased in 2019 due to a very strong growth in orders. With two hot-melt glue pots that can be quickly swapped out at any time thanks to a quick-change system, the joinery is always ready for any edge color. Typically, one is filled with white glue and the other with transparent glue.
The Tempora offers premium-level edge processing. It is equipped with, among other things, pre-milling units fitted with Konstantin C434 jointing cutters from Aigner.
Following edge banding, the complete machining is carried out on the CNC machining center. This includes all hardware drilling, line boring, and drilling or routing for dowels or Lamello connectors. The basis for efficient CNC machining of furniture and interior fitting components is the design data from Topsolid-Wood. For windows, front doors, and other structural components, the program for the CNC machining center is created using the Format4 software "F4 Frame."
Topsolid-Wood also features a convenient interface to the industry-specific software from P Software & Service (Pinncalc GmbH). The company uses this sector-specific software to efficiently manage the quotation process and order flow. Additionally, the software enables the costing of all interior fitting and structural component projects, providing the joinery with the necessary business transparency at all times.
A Strong Partner for Tooling Too
In terms of tooling, Zitzelsberger has worked closely with the Austrian tool manufacturer Aigner on the project. From the outset, the specialists from Aigner provided the joinery with partnership-based advice to develop an optimal tooling concept.
Since the goal was to handle the production of both structural components and high-quality furniture and interior fittings equally on the CNC, well-conceived machining strategies were developed and implemented in cooperation with the Felder Group and the tooling specialists from Taufkirchen. "This meant we could start production after commissioning the machining center without any long delays," Stefan Zitzelsberger happily recalls.
Today, the dynamic junior manager can no longer imagine the joinery without automation and the high level of CNC flexibility they have achieved. The courage and the investment strategy have paid off, securing the company's competitiveness for years to come.
