Timber finger jointing

Commissioning of a short timber finger jointing line in the new departmental technical centre

With the opening of the new Research Center for Innovative Hardwood Products (FIL) of the Department Wood Biology and Wood Products (AHH), space and installation possibilities on a long dreamed scale have been created. At the latest with the installation of a finger jointing line for short timber pieces in autumn 2020, it became obvious that an industry-oriented research with large scale installations at the FIL is possible.

The ongoing change in the proportion of wood species in our forests was one of the main drivers for the intensified cooperation between Weinig Grecon GmbH & Co. KG and the AHH. The further development of finger-jointing and in particular the adaptation to the various characteristics of hardwoods is an essential step towards the increased use of hardwoods in constructive wood products such as GLT, CLT or LVL. The finger jointing line can be used to test the suitability of proven and newly developed adhesive systems for hardwood. All essential parameters concerning finger jointing can be varied and influences can be evaluated without having to stop the production in an operating company. A major advantage of the cooperation is that the extensive equipment of the AHH enables the examination of the bonding quality directly after production. The investigations include mechanical tests, microscopic analyses and tests on the climate sensitivity of the bonding. After only a short period of time, it is already apparent that questions from research and practice can be specifically investigated. Projects are currently in progress to improve finger joint bonding in beech GLT (KlimaKleb project), beech LVL (LVL Mast project) or investigations into finger joint bonding of beech and birch wood and modified eucalyptus wood as part of doctoral theses.