New woodworking technology, forums highlight Ligna 2019
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HANNOVER, Germany - The woodworking industry's largest event worldwide, Ligna is expanding its size and scope with the addition of a presentation forum in conjunction with the host of research, technology and training showcases and new products for solid wood and panel processing, on display by thousands of exhibitors.

Ligna takes place May 27-31, 2019, at the fairgrounds in Hannover, Germany.  Show organizers Deutsche Messe AG and VDMA, the German Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association, note Ligna's exhibit space is already more than 80 percent booked compared to the previous event. Ligna 2017 featured more than 1,500 exhibitors and occupied approximately 1.4 million square feet of display space. The biennial show drew 93,000 visitors in 2017, including an estimated 42,000 attendees from outside the host country.

The keynote theme to Ligna 2019 is "Integrated Woodworking – Customized Solutions," relating to Industry 4.0 technologies, including turnkey digitization and automation solutions that offer production efficiency.

"As one might expect of the world's leading trade fair for woodworking and wood processing plant, machinery and tools, LIGNA will showcase the full range of smart technologies that leverage end-to-end data integration for optimal outcomes. Because in today's competitive environment, integration is the key to success. Next year's LIGNA will give wood industry professionals a truly unique overview of all the possibilities of fully integrated production," said Christian Pfeiffer, Deutsche Messe's Global Director Ligna & Woodworking Events.

The 2019 show also marks the premier of the Ligna.Forum, a presentation forum in Hall 11 that will provide in-depth coverage of the key Ligna focus themes, as well as relevant topics including: “Processing of Plastics and Composites,” “Smart Surface Treatment” and “Integrated Woodworking – Tailored Solutions.” The Ligna.Forum will also be the venue for the German Timber Construction Award ceremony;  Germany’s Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community Horst Seehofer is the official patron of the award.

Hall 11 will also house scientific, research and education findings by universities and technical schools,  and Ligna.Campus, which features the projects and findings of several research-focused institutions, including Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences' proto-lab, which demonstrates a new human-machine processing system for complex batch one production, utilizing .collaborative robots, automated guided vehicles and smart worker support technologies

“Industry 4.0 is just the tip of the iceberg,” explained Dr. Andreas Heinzmann from Rosenheim University’s Faculty of Wood Technology and Construction. “Ever-increasing market pressure to individualize and digitize means production has to be highly flexible. It also requires a complete re-think of production planning and management processes. In our proto-lab, humans, machines, logistics processes and products all communicate and collaborate with each other in a direct, decentralized fashion. It’s about decentralizing traditional management structures and reporting lines while ensuring the optimal, seamless integration of all parts of the value chain, starting with the initial product idea and continuing through development, production, use and maintenance right to the recycling stage."

Other highlights of the 2019 Ligna include:

Wood Industry Summit: This marks the third season for the summit, which will be staged in Hall 26. Themed "Access to Resources and Technology" and organized by Deutsche Messe in conjunction with the German Forestry Council (KWF), the summit will include an all-new group pavilion that will explore the implications of the German government's "Charter for Wood 2.0" policy. The new group pavilion is produced and run by Ligna organizers  in partnership with the German Sawmilling and Wood Industry Association (DeSH), Germany's Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR), the Ministry for Environment, Agriculture, Conservation and Consumer Protection of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MULNV) and the German Forestry Council (KWF).

"Our aim in establishing this new showcase is to secure the ongoing international competitiveness of the forestry and wood industries and to facilitate networking and relationships between industry startups and industry incumbents," Pfeiffer said. "Ultimately, the objective is to support the early identification of new opportunities. The new showcase will do this by facilitating practically focused dialogue among key decision-makers and by delivering thought-provoking technical presentations on a wide range of topic areas," he added.

In 2019, the Wood Industry Summit will again feature delegations from Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Finland, Canada, Columbia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and the USA.

Ligna training workshops: Located in the pavilion in front of Hall 11, the training workshops for joiners, cabinetmakers, carpenters and mobile assemblers provide an opportunity for exhibitors to give users an in-depth, hands-on experience of their products. Organized by Deutsche Messe with the support of two German joinery industry associations and with GEWEMA AG as commercial partner, the event’s motto is “Showing. Doing. Mastering,” and will include relevant lectures for skilled tradespeople.

In addition to the training workshops, Ligna attendees will have opportunities to test new technologies.

TischlerSchreiner Deutschland: The German Association of Carpentry and Joinery (Tischler Schreiner Deutschland) will be back in 2019 with a pavilion in Hall 12. The association’s members will be able to seek expert advice at the pavilion, which will also feature a “Live Workshop” where Germany’s designated contestants in the 2019 WorldSkills competition in Kazan, Russia, will be honing their craft. There will also be an exhibition of the top journeymen’s pieces from the 2019 Form & Function competition.

Ligna guided tours: Tour themes include “Integrated Woodworking Technologies – Tailored Solutions,” where participants discover how machines “talk” to one another and learn about the latest processing systems; “Smart Surface Technologies,” which covers a wide range of surface treatment technologies and processes, including digital and 3D printing, as well as scanning and quality assurance systems; and “Sawmill Technology – Innovations and Trends,” which introduces participants to new products and processes designed to optimize the speed, noise level and efficiency of sawmill operations.

For information on Ligna 2019 visit Ligna.de.











 

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About the author
Karen Koenig | Editor

Karen M. Koenig has more than 30 years of experience in the woodworking industry, including visits to wood products manufacturing facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. As editor of special publications under the Woodworking Network brand, including the Red Book Best Practices resource guide and website, Karen’s responsibilities include writing, editing and coordinating of editorial content. She is also a contributor to FDMC and other Woodworking Network online and print media owned by CCI Media. She can be reached at [email protected]