In May 2019, Dr Jakub Sandak, researcher at the InnoRenew CoE, traveled to Switzerland where he visited professor Peter Niemz, a member of the the InnoRenew CoE Council of Experts.

Dr Sandak also visited neue Holzbau AG in Lungern, a renowned producer of large diameter glue-laminated timber structures used in building construction. During his stay, he supported Juana Mai, a student from Germany, in preparation of experimental samples to be used for delamination tests of innovative wood adhesives. In addition, he tested suitability of the microNIR spectrometer (by VIAVI) for in-line measurement of near infrared (NIR) spectra. The aim of this collaborative Slovenian-Swiss research was to develop an innovative method for early stage assessment of wood quality by implementing NIR spectroscopy.

Following this, Dr Sandak visited Bern University of Applied Sciences in Biel where he learned about the newest Industry 4.0 solutions for the wood sector. He also performed an experimental campaign that measured wood quality of previously collected samples with two alternative NIR instruments: portable microNIR spectrometer and NIR hyperspectral camera.