Equipment and Methods

In the area wood materials technologies, R&D projects from the lab- up to the pilot plant scale can be realised using own equipment. In addition, state-of-the-art infrastructure in wood and natural fiber characterisation and processing is available via cooperation with BOKU Vienna and TU Vienna. Within the technical center besides various test setups also pilot plants can be operated on an area of 450 m².

Pilot and technical facilities

ANALYSIS OF CUTTING PROCESSES

12’’ lab-refiner   I   Boiler    

Power measurement   I   4-channel

3-axis cutting force measurement

High speed camera

Fully equipped carpentry and metal workshop

WOOD DRYING AND WOOD MODIFICATION

Laboratory dryer   I   convective –fresh air – exhaust air –low temperature – steaming

High temperature dryer

Vacuum dryer

High frequency vacuum dryer

Autoclave   I   impregnation– hydrothermal modification

Chemical modification   I   functionalisation

MANUFACTURING OF WOOD COMPOSITES

Particle dryer

Screening station

Gluing blender   I   airless – compressed air

Laboratory heating presses

Multivariate statistical process modelling

Automated image analysis   I   characterisation of particle morphology

Test rig   I   burning behaviour of floorings

Mini-SBI   I   downscaled single burning item test

PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION

Carpentry workshop   I   circular saws – band saw – spindle moulder – planer – thicknesser – long belt sander – CNC

Metal workshop   I   lathe – mill

3D print (continuous printer, independent dual extruder printer)

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES & APPROACHES

Machine Learning   I   Computer Vision   I   Deep Learning   I   big data, data quality analysis & data fusion   I   multivariate statistical models   I   statistical physical models   I   Finite Element Modelling   I   Design of Experiments   I   chemometry   I   assistance systems   I   signal analysis (FFT, etc.)

MATLAB   I   Python   I   R   I   SQL   I   Solid Works   I   Abaqus   I   Design Experts

Prototype assistance system (Spatial Augmented Reality, 2D / 3D cameras, tablet)   I   Virtual Reality   I   high resolution RGB cameras   I   workstation   I   optical microphone for airborne acoustic signals up to 1 MHz   I   structure borne microphones   I   robust microphone for high temperature & humidity

Testing rooms/laboratories

PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL ANALYSES

Mechanical analyses   I   tension – compression – bending – shear – fracture work – axial withdrawal of screws – ABES – pendulum impact test – nanoindenter – DIC – 2D and 3D deformation measurement

Climate chambers

Thermal conductivity meters   I   λ-meter – mini-λ-meter – thermal- and moisture transfer in wall mountings

Weathering stations   I   accelerated weathering – outdoor weathering

CHEMICAL LABORATORY

Adhesive synthesis

Thermal analyses   I   DSC – DMA – TG – STA

Spectroscopic analyses   I   ATR/FTIR – NIR – UV/VIS – Raman

Chromatography   I   HPLC/DAD – RID – FLD – GC/FID – GC/MS SPME – TDA – Headspace

Rheology   I   Rheometer – Cold-Tack-Test

Muffel furnace

Surface analysis   I   contact angle measuring system – spectrophotometer– chroma-meter –stylus instrument

Extraction   I   pressurised solvent extraction – Soxhlett – autotitration

MICROSCOPIC METHODS

Microscopic analyses   I   AFM – UV/VIS –fluorescens microscopy – incident and transmitted light microscopy – digital microscopy – image analysis

Preparation techniques   I   rotary and sliding microtome – ultracut – staining techniques

Electron microscopy   I   ESEM – SEM – EDX

MICROBIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

Durability tests   I   wood preservation against microorganisms

Isolation and determination of microorganisms

Cultivation of microorganisms I   Rotary shaker – instrumented fermenter –clean bench class I

EMISSION MEASUREMENT

Emission measurement   I   micro chambers – 225 L test chambers – 30 m³ model room

Human sensory analyses   I   sniffing panel – odour presentation device – GC-O