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A high degree of automation, especially through the use of robots, is state of the art in the automotive and electronics industries. Even though the construction sector is currently lagging behind, an increase in automation and the use of robots can be observed. To assess the potential in industrial timber construction with a focus set on subtractive machining, this paper presents the state of the art in terms of the use of industrial robots and joinery machines, compact joinery machines and gantry-type joinery machines in regard to milling processes. The capabilities of different types of joinery machines are evaluated and compared with vertical articulated industrial robots equipped with machining spindles. An overview of the history and an assessment of various parameters in the categories: Quality, System, Machining and Economy, is given. Publications, manufacturer information and industry findings are reviewed to answer pressing questions on automation in timber construction. Limitations such as robotic stability or the limited working space of joinery machines and the affordability of robotic systems are elaborated and CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) processes are scrutinized. After the evaluation and comparison of four different systems, an approach for future research is proposed. The main findings are: a very low degree of robotization and data availability within the timber industry, lower acquisition costs for industrial robots while increasing the flexibility of the workspace, and task-specific advantages of the respective systems, including machining power, potential for improvement in automation (especially CAD/CAM) and machining quality.

Joinery machines (JM) are state‐of‐the art for subtractive machining of timber. When considering costs, availability and multi‐axis flexibility, industrial robots (IR) can be seen as a viable alternative as they show high potential for the increase of efficiency, workspace, and possibilities of machining. However, objective data for the quantification of this assumption are not available. This article investigates the capabilities of IRs for the milling of pockets in glued laminated timber. To enable a comparison, benchmark specimen milled using JMs were investigated alongside the pockets milled by IRs. The assessment was conducted by (a) nominal/actual geometry comparison, (b) the surface quality using the stylus method and an optical/haptic assessment, and (c) high‐resolution 3D scans. The results show that IRs as standalone solution are competitive and a valuable supplement for existing facilities.

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