Turning wood waste into Designer HardwoodTM
What if you could create any wood imaginable? With the features of, say, tropical hardwood and 100 years old…and made in just one day…by robots?
That’s the promise of some new patented technology that’s just been launched by Australian company 3RT. The new digitally controlled process can transform hardwood or softwood residue of any wood species into Designer HardwoodTM with ‘the touch and feel of real wood’.
Based in Melbourne and Adelaide, 3RT has developed a world-first technology in collaboration with Flinders University. A leader in the design and development of special purpose machinery, Bosch Manufacturing Solutions will deliver fully automated ‘plug-and-play’ production cells to enable its production around the world.
The cooperation leverages Bosch expertise in manufacturing, sensor technology, and software around the Internet of Things (IoT) for the wood manufacturing industry.
With a potential project market size of AUD$1.2 billion globally, Bosch Manufacturing Solutions was selected for its Industry 4.0, automation and manufacturing know-how to support the entire value stream of connected manufacturing. The partnership ensures the delivery of multiple production cells to satisfy increasing demand across the globe.
“We are excited to embark on this journey with 3RT, an industry specialist that is leading in the field of wood manufacturing in a sustainable and innovative way,” said Gavin Smith, President, Bosch Australia.
3RT’s Innovation Centre in Adelaide develops and manufactures custom Designer HardwoodTM products, transforming both soft and hardwood residue of any species into a sustainable, low impact substitute for tropical hardwood. It received international recognition in the 2019 Good Design Awards competition by winning a gold medal for its concept of “Bespoke Wood”, which brings the concept of mass customisation into the hardwood industry.
The production cells Bosch will design and build for 3RT will be connected to other machines around Australia and the world. Equipped with leading edge Industry 4.0 capability, the machines will collect data for the optimisation of processes and can be managed remotely.
Learn more from www.3rt.com.au