ImpreDry

Low-Energy Impregnation with a Focus on Drying and Curing

ImpreDry is a collaborative project involving AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology), Fundermax (a manufacturer of high-quality wood-based materials), and RECENDT (an R&D institution specialising in material characterisation and non-destructive materials testing). Its objective is to fundamentally transform the energy-intensive impregnation process used for speciality papers. The project focuses primarily on phenolic resin-impregnated kraft papers employed in the construction sector, the furniture industry, and the electronics sector. Conventional gas-fired dryers are to be replaced by optimised, digitally controlled systems. This is expected to reduce natural gas consumption by 66% and to achieve savings of up to 17,600 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

At the centre of the project is a digital twin model, which digitally represents the operational process and thereby enables simulations and real-time analyses. Parameters such as temperature, air flow rates, and solvent concentrations can be taken into account, and the control of the drying processes can be adjusted accordingly. This ensures precise resin curing with optimised energy use and guarantees compliance with safety standards for flammable solvents.

The overarching aim of ImpreDry is to develop scalable solutions for industries characterised by energy-intensive drying processes, thereby strengthening Austria’s position as a pioneer in climate-neutral industrial production.