Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS
As a renewable, locally available material, wood makes a significant contribution to climate neutrality and sustainability. A rethink is urgently required, as global warming, long periods of drought and insect infestation are causing softwood stocks to shrink worldwide, while the proportion of hardwood is steadily increasing. The shift from softwoods to hardwoods requires new processing technologies and concepts to counteract the material hardness and abrasiveness of hardwoods. Furthermore, mixed construction methods also present additional challenges. The potential of laser-assisted manufacturing processes can act as an enabler for the widespread use. The laser beam is predestined for precise, reproducible and localised material removal and targeted surface modification.
Laser Technologies for Wood and Paper Processing
- High-performance removal of finger joints
- Leveling of surfaces for adhesive preparation and sealing
- Carbonization for weather resistance
- Custom contour cutting of rotary veneer
- Functional and decorative surface finishing
- Characterization and fatigue testing of wood and wood joints
- Laser-based joining of paper
- Gluing and joining of wood