EP3479977B1 - Method for production of wall components for building - Google Patents

Description

field of invention

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing wall components for buildings.

In times of urbanization and the rapidly increasing demand for living space in conurbations, concepts are in demand with which a large number of residential units can be built in a time-saving and cost-effective manner. A mandatory requirement for these concepts is a high degree of quality, customization and sustainability in order to achieve a clear distinction from the functional buildings of the 1960s and 1970s.

State of the art

In the prior art, it is known to manufacture larger buildings in modular construction using room cells made of cross-laminated timber. It is also known to integrate a wet area in these room cells and to route electrical and other lines through riser shafts that are integrated in the room cells. We refer, for example, to the construction of the BMW Hotel Alpenhof in Ammerwald, Austria, which is presented in the proholz consortium's catalogue, cutting 43, 2011, and to those in the European patents EP 2 617 911 B1 , EP 2 617 912 B1 and EP 2 617 913 B1 featured components.

Summary of the Invention

The industrial production of large wall components, such as are required in the production of room cells according to the invention, typically includes the connection of several smaller panels along common longitudinal sides. If window or door openings are to be worked into the wall components, these are usually cut out or milled out.

In the GB 936 135 A discloses a continuous process for gluing a plurality of boards along their longitudinal sides, the boards being glued together to form a carpet and then individual panels of a defined width being cut off from the carpet.

These known methods are not optimally suited for the present concept from a number of aspects. On the one hand, the milling or cutting out of openings results in offcuts that can usually no longer be used. The offcuts represent a significant cost factor in industrial production and large quantities are economically and ecologically undesirable. On the other hand, it is difficult to maintain small dimensional tolerances in production, since deviations in the starting materials are propagated to the finished wall components. This cannot be tolerated within the scope of the concept according to the invention, since very high dimensional accuracy is important for the quality and stability of the wall components of a building overall.

The invention therefore deals with a method for producing wall components for room cells, for example, which overcomes these disadvantages of known methods.

Against this background, the invention relates to a method for the production of wall components for buildings, with wooden panels of a certain width and length being kept in a magazine and with the panels being sawed transversely to the longitudinal direction in order to obtain wooden panels of the same width and shorter length, with several panels being placed transversely to the direction of travel on a conveyor track in such a way that the panels are flush on their transverse sides and the longitudinal sides of successive panels touch one another, the panels on the conveyor track along the adjacent longitudinal sides connected to form a first carpet of cross-laminated timber, and the first carpet of cross-laminated timber is sawn transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor track in order to obtain wooden panels of a defined width.

Description of the figures

• figure 1 shows an exemplary factory layout for carrying out a carpet manufacturing method according to the invention for the production of wall components.
• figure 2 shows the schematic assembly of an exemplary wall in the carpet process.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention is directed to a method for the production of wall components for buildings, in which cross laminated timber panels of a certain width and length are held in a magazine and the panels are sawed transversely to the longitudinal direction to obtain cross laminated timber panels of the same width and shorter length, several panels being placed transversely to the running direction on a conveyor track in such a way that the panels are flush on their transverse sides and the longitudinal sides of successive panels touch one another, the panels on the conveyor track along the lying longitudinal sides are connected to form a first carpet of cross-laminated timber, and the first carpet is sawed transversely to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt in order to obtain cross-laminated timber panels of a defined width.

According to the invention, provision is also made for intermediate parts to be provided and inserted on the conveyor track into gaps previously formed between adjacent panels, with the panels and intermediate parts arranged in this way being connected to form a wall component.

The height of the first carpet and the cross laminated timber panels corresponds to the length of the panels. The method according to the invention has the advantage that cross-laminated timber panels of any height and width can be produced from simple standard panels in an automated process. The method ensures that the possible width of the panels is not limited to a multiple of the width of the panels, but can be freely selected. Furthermore, this results in Handling a gain in precision. Because tolerances in the width of the panels are not passed on to the outer dimensions of the panels. Instead, a determination is made directly in the process using, for example, a precision saw. Dimensional accuracies of +/- 1 mm can be achieved for large panels.

Wall components manufactured using the method can be used in the finished building, for example, as exterior walls or interior walls. For example, the wall components produced using the method can be used as side wall components of a room cell according to the invention. Use as ceilings and/or floors is also conceivable.

Preferably all panels of the magazine have the same width. The thicknesses and lengths of the panels are preferably standardized, but do not always have to be the same. For example, it can be provided that the panels are between 5 and 20 m long and between 1 and 2.5 m wide. Preferred dimensions are 10-16 m long and 1.25 m wide. The thickness of the panels can be between 6 and 24 cm. Preferred thicknesses are 10, 12 or 14 cm. Panels of these dimensions can be transported in simple trucks without excess length or width. They are easy to make and handle with standard tools. Cross laminated timber panels of these dimensions are available as standard.

The length of the panels and therefore the height of the first carpet and the panels can be between 3 m and 4 m, for example.

The intermediate parts can be, for example, intermediate panels made of cross laminated timber, glued laminated timber or solid structural timber. The height of such intermediate plates is lower than the height of the large cross-laminated timber panels. If intermediate plates are used, it can preferably be provided that these are inserted into the gaps in such a way that each intermediate plate is flush with the adjacent plates at the top or bottom and/or that the longitudinal sides of the intermediate plates and the adjacent plates touch one another. The panels can then go along the adjacent long sides are connected. Furthermore, the use of intermediate carriers made of wood or steel, for example, is also conceivable.

Below or above the intermediate parts, there is a gap in the wall component. The opening represents a window or door opening. The intermediate parts serve as parapets if they run in the lower part of the panels, for example flush with the lower edge of the panels, or as lintels if they run in the upper part of the panels, for example flush with the top edge of the panels. For use as a balustrade, the height or vertical extent of the intermediate parts can be 135 cm, for example. For use as a lintel, the height or vertical extent of the intermediate parts can be 22 cm, for example.

Compared to conventional methods of manufacturing wall components with window openings, where the window opening is cut out or milled out of a panel, this manufacturing method has the great advantage that there is almost no waste. This lack of waste leads to significant cost savings in the large-scale production of wall components and increases the overall sustainability of the concept.

In one embodiment it is provided that two intermediate parts are inserted into the gap, with an intermediate part being arranged on the upper side of the plate, for example flush with the upper edge and an intermediate part on the underside of the plate, for example flush with the lower edge of the plate. Window openings with parapets and lintel can be incorporated into the wall components. The window opening is formed by the remaining portion of the gap between the top of the lower intermediate piece and the underside of the upper intermediate piece.

In one embodiment, it is provided that at least some of the intermediate parts are intermediate plates that are produced by sawing cross laminated timber panels of the magazine transversely to the longitudinal direction in order to obtain short cross laminated timber panels of the same width and with a shorter length compared to the panels, that several short panels transverse to the running direction on a second conveyor track are laid in such a way that the short panels are flush on their transverse sides and the long sides of consecutive short panels touch each other, that the short panels on the second conveyor track are connected along the adjacent longitudinal sides to form a second carpet of cross-laminated timber, and that the second carpet is sawed transversely to the direction of travel of the second conveyor track in order to obtain intermediate panels of a defined width.

In other words, it can be provided that the carpeting process used to produce the large panels is also used to produce intermediate parts in the form of intermediate panels. This has the advantage of low width tolerances and any choice of width.

In one embodiment it is provided that at least some of the intermediate parts are intermediate plates which are obtained by sawing cross-laminated timber panels of the magazine transversely to the longitudinal direction. In this way, intermediate plates with a width of, for example, 1.25 m that corresponds to the width of the wooden panels can be easily produced.

Since the panels are cross-laminated timber panels, the panels and possibly at least part of the intermediate panels are also made of cross-laminated timber. Cross-laminated timber is available in the dimensions mentioned and, for the reasons already mentioned in connection with the room cell, is particularly advantageous for use in the present method, with which wall components for houses and, for example, for such room cells are to be produced.

In one embodiment it is provided that at least part of the intermediate plates or intermediate supports is provided separately, this part of the intermediate plates preferably being intermediate plates or intermediate supports made of glued laminated timber or structural timber or steel.

In one embodiment it is envisaged that the connection of the adjacent panels and/or the short panels and/or panels and/or intermediate parts can be achieved by inserting mechanical fasteners or by gluing. For example, the elements can be connected by hammering in brackets. Also worth mentioning is a connection using screws, with the help of a butt board or with the help of an external spring. Alternatively or additionally, the elements can be glued. This is preferred because the potential problem of metal parts at positions where the carpet is to be cut does not arise.

In one embodiment, if a piece of carpet is to be cut in an unauthorized location, such as in the area of a connecting clip between two panels, it is envisaged that a piece of carpet will be cut off and discarded.

In one embodiment, it is provided that cut-off end pieces of the first carpet are temporarily stored and then reinserted into the first carpet or a carpet at a later point in time, like a cross-laminated timber panel. For example, changing the desired room height can make it necessary to change the carpet height in the process. It may be necessary to cut off an end piece of the carpet. This is then temporarily stored and used again as a counterpart to a long panel in the carpet at the next opportunity, for example when returning to the original carpet height.

In figure 1 an exemplary factory layout for carrying out a carpet production method according to the invention for the production of wall components is shown.

The plant includes an access area for trucks with a magazine 202 arranged directly adjacent to it. The magazine 202 includes individual storage areas for pallets with standardized cross-laminated timber panels of specific dimensions. Preferably some or all of the storage areas have the same dimensions to accommodate cross laminated timber panels of the same dimensions. For the most part only cross-laminated timber panels of the same width are required as starting material for the method according to the invention, so that with such a designed Storage optimal space utilization is achieved. Sufficient material can be kept available with limited space. If cross laminated timber panels of different thicknesses are required, these fit into all storage areas regardless of their thickness. Suitable dimensions for the cross laminated timber panels include, for example, 1.25 x 10-16 m. Suitable different panel thicknesses are, for example, 10, 12 or 14 cm. The type of panels accommodated in the individual storage areas of the magazine 202, ie their thickness and their type of wood, is communicated individually to an electronic control unit or is preset.

A crane robot is provided above the magazine 202 in order to be able to lift the length of the panels that are currently required onto a supply track 206 . A precision saw 207 is arranged on the supply track 206, with which the panels can be shortened to any length with a maximum error of +/-1 mm.

On the other side of the saw, a main conveyor track 208 and a secondary conveyor track 209 branch off from the supply track 206 at different branches. Both these tracks 208 and 209 run from the supply track 206 in the same direction. A manipulation device, not shown in detail, can be used to control which of the pieces obtained by sawing up the panels go onto which of the webs 208 and 209 . In an alternative embodiment of the system, a separate supply track can also be arranged for the secondary conveyor belt 209 next to the existing track 206 including a precision saw.

In the simplest form of the method, only panels 210 of a single length are cut from the panels in the saw 207 and directed onto the main conveyor track 208 flush widthwise. There the panels 210 are pushed together in such a way that their longitudinal edges touch one another. In a connecting machine 211, the adjacent long sides of the panels 210 are then mechanical Connecting and/or gluing, preferably gluing, to form a wooden carpet 212. Another precision saw 213 then saws the carpet 212 perpendicular to the direction of travel of the web 208 to obtain wooden panels which have the same height as the panels 210 and carpet 212, respectively. The width of the wooden panels can be freely selected in the saw 213. The saw 213 is designed to cut the carpet 212 into wall panels of any width with a maximum error of +/- 1mm.

In addition to the saw 221, storage locations (not shown in detail) for offcuts are arranged, which can arise, for example, when the wall height, ie the carpet height, is changed during production. These cuts can be fed in again when there is a changeover. In this simplest version of the process, rectangular wall components made of cross-laminated timber are produced without window or door openings that correspond to the wall panels.

In a more complex form of the method, shorter pieces 218 are also cut from the panels in the saw 207 and directed onto the secondary conveyor track 209, or alternatively directed onto the secondary conveyor track from the separate supply track described above as an alternative. There the shorter pieces 218 are combined to form a carpet 219 according to the same principle and cut into intermediate panels of any desired length, as is done for the panels 210 on the main conveyor track 208 . For this purpose, a connecting machine 221, a precision saw 222 and a waste storage area (not shown in detail) are also available on the secondary conveyor track 209.

The secondary conveyor track 209 ends at a transfer track 226, which leads to the main conveyor track 208 and opens into this at a junction point 227. Wall panels that have already been cut to size are already present at the joining point 227 . Furthermore, a magazine for glued laminated timber beams, or alternatively solid structural timber or steel beams, and a manipulation device are arranged at the joining point 227 . The manipulation device includes, in addition to an intervention device for positioning the wall panels, the intermediate panels and the glued laminated timber beams or solid construction timber or steel girders, there is also a connection machine. At the manipulation device, intermediate panels and/or glued laminated timber beams of the same width or solid structural timber or steel beams are inserted into a gap between two wall panels in such a way that the adjacent long sides touch. The different panels are then mechanically connected or glued together. Connection machine 215 is used for this.

This creates rectangular wall components 214 made of cross-laminated timber with window or door openings, which are composed of at least two wall panels and at least one intermediate panel and/or a laminated wood support. The intermediate plate typically serves as a parapet and the laminated wood support as a lintel.

The finished wall components, with or without window or door openings, then enter a processing area located at the end of the web.

figure 2 shows the schematic assembly of an exemplary wall in the carpet process.

In the upper part of the figure 2 the wooden carpet 212 located on the main conveyor track 208 is shown. It consists of individual cross-laminated timber panels 210a, 210b, etc., which all have the same nominal width of 1.25 m and are bonded, for example glued and/or mechanically connected, for example by means of metal clips 240, along the common longitudinal sides.

The drawing indicates that the widths of the wooden panels 212 have a certain tolerance. For example, a wooden panel is only 1249 mm wide, while another wooden panel is 1260 mm wide. Tolerances of this magnitude are quite possible with cross-laminated timber panels provided on an industrial scale and a gain in dimensional accuracy would be associated with considerable additional costs. On the other hand, tolerances of this kind and possibly added tolerances in the finished wall components for use in a building are within the scope of the invention concept intolerable. A significant advantage of the method according to the invention is therefore that these tolerances in the starting material can be compensated for during processing within the scope of the method according to the invention, since the carpet 212 is cut up anyway using the precision saw 213 in such a way that the width of the panels is accurate to the millimeter.

The cutting lines of the precision saw 213 are marked with the reference number 241 in the figure. In the present example, the cutting lines 241 are such that, among other things, three panels 214a, 214b and 214c with widths of 1470 mm, 2910 mm and 750 mm are cut out of the carpet 212 .

In the lower part of figure 2 1 shows a completed wall member 230 with two window openings made up of three panels 214a, 214b and 214c associated with the upper portion of FIG figure 2 was explained, as well as two parapets 220a and 220b made of cross laminated timber and two lintels 229a and 229b made of glued laminated timber, each having a width of 1250 mm. The parapets can be as related to above figure 1 are described in more detail in the carpet process. The falls are related as above figure 1 described in more detail and the use of the parapets and lintels between the panels and their connection to the panels is also as above in connection with figure 1 described in more detail.

Claims (6)

1. A method of manufacturing wall elements for buildings, wherein cross laminated timber panels of a specific width and length are stocked in a store, and wherein the panels are sawed up transversely to the longitudinal direction to obtain cross laminated timber panels (210) of the same width and smaller length,

   wherein a plurality of panels (210) are placed onto a conveying track (208) transversely to the direction of running, and indeed such that the panels (210) are flush at the transverse sides and the longitudinal sides of consecutive panels (210) contact one another;

   wherein the panels (210) on the conveying track (208) are connected along the contacting longitudinal sides to form a first cross laminated timber apron (212); and

   wherein the first cross laminated timber apron (212) is sawed up transversely to the direction of running of the conveying track (208) to obtain cross laminated timber boards of a defined width;

   characterized in that
   intermediate parts are furthermore provided and are placed into gaps formed previously between adjacent boards on the conveying track (208), with the boards arranged in this manner and intermediate parts being connected to form a wall element (214).
2. A method in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that two intermediate parts are inserted into at least some of the gaps, with one intermediate part being arranged at the upper side and one intermediate part being arranged at the lower side of the boards.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least some of the intermediate parts are intermediate boards that are manufactured in that cross laminated timber panels of the store are sawed up transversely to the longitudinal direction to obtain cross laminated timber short panels (218) of the same width and having a smaller length in comparison with the panels (210); that a plurality of short panels (218) are placed onto a second conveying track (209) transversely to the direction of running, and indeed such that the short panels (218) are flush at the transverse sides and the longitudinal sides of consecutive short panels (218) contact one another; that the short panels (218) on the second conveying track are connected along the contacting longitudinal sides to form a second cross laminated timber apron (219), and that the second cross laminated timber apron (219) is cut in a direction transverse to the running direction of the second conveying track (209) to obtain intermediate boards of a defined width.
4. A method in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some of the intermediate parts are intermediate boards that are obtained by sawing up cross laminated timber panels of the store transversely to the longitudinal direction.
5. A method in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection of the adjacent panels (210) and/or of the short panels (218) and/or boards and/or intermediate parts takes place by the use of mechanical connection means (240) or by gluing.
6. A method in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that cut-off end pieces of the first apron (212) are put into intermediate store and are inserted into the first apron (212) again at a later time as a panel (210).

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