Woodsonics: Innovation, the best way to boost the sawmill industry.
The use of structural timber in construction is ubiquitous; wood is valued for its strength, renewability and aesthetic qualities. However, the same properties which make wood-based material so attractive also make it very difficult to process. Environmental factors, decay, insect damage, splits, checks, and knots can negatively affecting the quality and strength of the wood. The sector needs to incorporate a newcost-effective machine strength grading systems at SME sawmills to: 1. Grade timber more quickly and accurately; 2. Localize defects in wooden boards so as to remove them and sell the defect-free wood at a higher price; 3. Automatically separate aesthetically appealing, defect-free timber beams; 4. Introduce new species in their production lines. WOODSONICS proposes a cost-efficient in-line wood grading machine which uses an ultrasonic rolling transducer to detect, identify and localize specific defects along the length of the sawn timber board and grade it. WOODSONICSwill be installed on the sorting line without disrupting sawmills'production activity. The project will be validated using the most common species soft and hardwood of sawn timber (Spruce, Pine, Chestnut and Oak). WOODSONICS is a project funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) under the “Research for the benefit of SMEs” (Capacities) Programme.The project started in January 2013 and will last for 24 months. The 1.1 millionEuros contribution from Brussels brings together European research and applied research centres, universities, engineering consultants and sector institutes, as well as sawmilling SMEs, from five different countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom. WOODSONICS is coordinated by ATEKNEA SOLUTIONS and developed in cooperation with 6 other partners: MICROTEC, ALBA ULTRASOUND, MANIPULACIONS DE FUSTA, UNIVERSTIY OF STRATHCLYDE, TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT MÜNCHEN and CATALAN INSITUTE OF WOOD. About the Project Partners ATEKNEA SOLUTIONS – Project Coordinator - www.ateknea.com Ateknea Solutions brings together four research and innovation companies operating at a European level for over 15 years. Ateknea aims to assist European SMEs in transforming their innovative ideas into real marketable products and services that are crucial for their success. By offering tailor-made services for innovation, such as technological development and coaching, Ateknea’s experts cover a wide range of engineering and scientific areas. Ateknea has locations in Barcelona, Budapest, Krakow and Valetta. BSW TIMBER GROUP – www.bsw.co.uk BSW Timber is the UK’s largest sawmilling business with six sawmills in the UK and one in Latvia. Our two industry leading brands: Easi and Timeless Timber are distributed throughout the construction, fencing, decking, sleeper and pallet and packaging sectors. Our sales and technical teams are there to support the client, they know their timber and have the systems at their fingertips to get the information quickly and efficiently. Naturally, we source our wood from well-managed FSC® certified forests and do everything possible to ensure our operations have the smallest impact upon the environment. MiCROTEC S.R.L. – www.microtec.eu Since 1980 Microtec’s biometric scanning solutions have increasedadded value in the wood processing industry. By the use of opto-electronic systems and non-destructive evaluations Microtec’s customers are able to maximise recovery and to boost the quality and value of their final products. Microtec’s advanced sensor technologies and optimisation software are entirely designed and developed in-house by 57 highly qualified engineers and serve to automate, streamline and optimise every industrial production process. About the project partners: ALBA ULTRASOUND LIMITED – www.albaultrasound.co.uk Alba Ultrasound was founded in 2001 and specialises on the bespoke manufacture of ultrasonic transducers. Alba currently employs 45 people and is based in the West of Scotland Science Park in Glasgow. The principal market is in underwater sonar, with other sectors in non-destructive evaluation and ultrasonic process control. In 2012 the Company received a Queen’s Award for its outstanding innovations in the field of ultrasonic array transducers. The Company has a worldwide market for its products and the current growth is anticipated to continue apace. MANIPULACIONS DE FUSTA S.L. – www.manipulacionsdefusta.com Manipulacions of Fusta S.L. is a company founded in 1996, and is structured into different sections: packaging, wooden structures and carpentry. The packaging section has a permanent stock for our customers. The carpentry section also works on requests with the possibility to provide the customer the installation of the demands on site. And in the section of wooden structures, where also tailor made requests are accepted as the customer demands, there is a possibility to apply 3D designs and install the structures. INSTITUT CATALÀ DE LA FUSTA – www.incafust.org The Wood Catalan Institute (INCAFUST) has the aim to promote and develop wood acknowledgement as material. Moreover contributes to improve the competitiveness, innovation and yield improvement of the Catalan timber industry. The institute also assists enterprises, entities and institutions by helping them on research, technology. The institute’s main aim is to assist enterprises, entities and institutions by helping them on research, technological services, technology transfer and trainings. INCAFUST works in several work lines and matters like raw materials, timber industry, timber construction, restoration, wood protection and green chemistry. INCAFUST is located in Solsona, Lleida and Sant Cugat del Vallès. UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE – www.strath.ac.uk/eee/research/cue The Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering (CUE) addresses markets in non-destructive evaluation, underwater sonar, industrial process ultrasound and biomedical imaging. Over the past 30 years, CUE has achieved recognition as an international centre of excellence, with a unique range of facilities to underpin its research impact. The Centre has a broad research portfolio, which includes bioacoustics, robotics and automation, 2D array design, air coupled ultrasound, wideband transducer design, advanced signal processing, 3D visualisation, condition monitoring, ultrasonic system simulation, ultrasonic field mapping and high power reactor design. TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT MÜNCHEN – www.tum.de Technische Universität München (TUM) is one of Europe’s top universities. It is committed to excellence in research and teaching, interdisciplinary education and the active promotion of promising young scientists. The university also has strong links with companies and scientific institutions across the world. TUM was one of the first universities in Germany to be named a University of Excellence. In the international Shanghai Ranking (ARWU), TUM was rated the number one German university both in 2011 and 2012.
Países
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom