Whether in buildings or vehicles, many load-bearing components can now be made from wood, in particular from bonded wood-based materials and hybrid materials. Their aging behavior, however, has not yet been sufficiently researched. Common methods for testing the durability in outdoor areas are either time-consuming or, as a result of their requirements, not relevant in practice. Both can lead to considerable cost increases for manufacturers and customers. In collaboration with the Department of Separating and Joining Manufacturing Processes (TFF) at the University of Kassel, researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have therefore developed a realistic rapid-aging procedure that can be used, in particular, by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
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