EFRE Invest HTPS: Infrastruktur-Investitions-Vorhaben: Projekt High-Tech-Press-System

Wood K plus is one of the leading research institutions in the field of wood and renewable raw materials in Europe. By solving the associated research questions at the interface between science and industry, Wood K plus makes a significant contribution to enabling resource-efficient management in the circular bioeconomy. Comprehensive material knowledge and knowledge-based processing of inhomogeneous raw materials are required for the economic, competitive further development and utilization of inhomogeneous raw materials. Wood K plus has a comprehensive infrastructure for material characterization but can only monitor the manufacturing processes indirectly by analyzing the finished product and determining the technological properties achieved.

Project goals & content: 

To take the next step in material development from bio-based materials, Wood K plus intends to open new fields of application for renewable raw materials with the High-Tech-Press-System and to re-define the state of the art with this high-tech laboratory press through integrated sensor technology for in-time data availability. The center wants to cover three aspects:

• The laboratory press will be used for the development of visionary materials from bio-based resources and enables the development of new efficient pressing programs.

• Combining the material knowledge with machine data including integrated sensor technology should enable to simulate and model technological property profiles with the goal to produce knowledge-based designed materials effectively and efficiently.

• Addressing a low level of R-imperatives (R 1, R2) of the circular economy the research teams will be able to provide innovative solutions with a low environmental impact. Pressing technologies are a fundamental and established option for producing new material structures, and not just for renewable raw materials. Using bio-based materials, however, the material inhomogeneity has to be taken into account, which usually requires gentle and gradual processing of the materials. A press system is therefore required that has individually and sensitively adjustable temperature and pressure control. Through targeted sensor integration in the press, the physical conditions should also be available in real time at any point during the pressing cycle. With this process data, it will be possible to model product properties and thus, identify new options for material development. The objectives would be to realize sensitive materials as layered structures, integrate sensitive sensors into composites and hence introduce new properties and functionalities into bio-based composites and surfaces.

Research programme:

F&E-Infrastrukturförderung 2023 

Project-ID:

FFG Projektnummer: FO999912181

Lead Partner:

Wood K plus - Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH

Project Lead:

Edith Zikulnig-Rusch, PhD

Project Period:

01.07.2024 - 30.06.2027

Project Budget:

EUR 700.000,00

Funding:

The project is funded by the European Union and the FFG.

Links: 

More information on the IBW/EFRE & JTF programme you can find at www.efre.gv.at