METHOD FOR PROCESSING FLAT WORKPIECES

In the method for processing flat workpieces (4， 5)， more particularly made of wood or wood substitute materials， the following steps are carried out: providing a large-format panel (4)， more particularly made of wood or wood substitute materials， and feeding (PI) the large-format panel (4) to a separating station (1); separating flat workpieces (5) by dividing the provided large-format panel (4) in the separating station (1) by making cuts in the large-format panel (4) by at least one separating unit (11); feeding the workpieces (5) separated in this way to at least one downstream machining station (2， 3) to finish the flat workpiece (5). The separating station (1) provides at least part of each separated workpiece (5) with an orienting portion (5a) for acting on gripping elements (14， 15) and/or for the introduction of reference bores. The workpiece (5) provided with the orienting portion (5a) is， after having been separated， taken up by means of a gripping element (14， 15)， engagement element or capture element which acts on the orienting portion (5a) preferably in an interlocking manner.