Research is fundamental to any industry. It can be consumer-led or commercially driven, but in the wood coatings industry it is abundantly clear that without it, there would be no product innovation – and no validation of new products coming onto the market.
TRADA enjoys a close relationship with the industry and the diversity of our research reflects the many pressures manufacturers must face if they are to maintain and expand market share. A good example of the industry responding to commercial pressures is the ‘PRIME’ project, aimed at developing a single treatment process for the vacuum impregnation of wood primers and preservatives. This project is being carried out in conjunction with other technical organisations and commercial partners, with support from the European Commission’s Quality of Life Programme.
Minimising costs
Traditionally wood joinery is pre-treated with preservative, then primed, in separate operations, adding delay and cost. The project’s objective is to make wood joinery in Europe more competitive by improving stability and durability through a single process that adds value and minimises operational costs.
The project is experimenting with five purpose-made blends of primer/preservative formulation to establish the levels of preservative protection which can be expected from each. The work will also evaluate additional benefits of dimensional stability, end-grain sealing and joint-gluing that are likely from vacuum impregnation of these blends. The research has progressed to larger-scale vacuum impregnation trials.
Research can also be driven by legislative pressures, such as the recent imposition of VOC (volatile organic compound) directives calling for a reduction in the use of volatile compounds such as white spirit and acetone. This legislation has been responsible for large-scale changes in manufacturing and production philosophies. This in turn has altered the commercial landscape of the wood coatings sector, as well as kick-starting the need for developments to produce protective coatings based on alternative technologies.
TRADA, together with its sister company FIRA, has responded to these changes by winning funding from the DTI to develop powder coating technology for external applications. Working with four other organisations with expertise in powder coating, the project will develop a factory applied solvent-free system that will at least match the performance expectations of conventionally applied coatings for exterior joinery. Work is under way reviewing available substrates and coating powders. It will draw on existing technology in the furniture sector, where powder finishes are successfully being applied to wood-based substrates such as MDF.
Technology transfer
The project represents a transfer of technology from one operational sector to another, but will go further by developing an application system capable of achieving a quality finish on solid wood capable of withstanding prolonged periods of exterior exposure.
Research should also be responsive to consumer needs and address concerns raised by end users. This type of interaction represents the human face of research in terms of its immediacy and relevance to the person in the street and can be one of the most rewarding of all types of research work undertaken.
Two such projects are currently in progress, both funded by the DTI under the Partners in Innovation programme, in collaboration with the coatings industry. Both were conceived through TRADA’s interactive approach with the end user, by identifying specific problem areas in need of further research.
The first concerns the growing problem of discoloration and staining of light-coloured coatings on wood joinery, where the movement and subsequent oxidation of natural extractives in the wood can cause unsightly staining.
There has been an upsurge in products claiming to prevent this phenomenon, but they range from variable to ineffective. The project aims to compile consumer guidance based on comparative field assessments and laboratory trials, to enable end users to choose the most appropriate product. Guidance will be developed on how such problems can be minimised through materials handling and selection.
Floor seals
The second project deals with the need to develop a test method to predict in-service performance of floor seals, in the light of the proliferation of products on the market.
Manufacturers are under pressure to develop new products but have no means of accurately predicting performance in the short time frame open to them before commercial release. An accurate test will allow them to predict in-service performance quickly.
The floor seals work is a development of research already completed with DTI support. We have produced a good practice guide to sealing wood floors and a specifier guide for choosing the most suitable product.
Ultimately, TRADA’s research reflects an industry which is responsible, full of new ideas, but ever conscious of consumer demands.
Our work is an integral part of that industry – and that’s how it should be.
