Calling Frame and Truss Customers for Collaboration of Innovation

Written and provided by FTMA Strategic Partner, AKD.

AKD is proud to be part of the recently launched Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Research Hub to Advance Timber for Australia’s Future Built Environment, known as the ARC Advance Timber Hub.

The Hub is a groundbreaking collaboration aimed at transforming Australia’s timber and construction industries. This initiative brings together industry leaders, universities, and researchers to drive innovation, sustainability, and efficiency in timber manufacturing and construction practices.

The ARC Advance Timber Hub is paving the way for timber to become the material of choice for Australia’s built environment, contributing to a net-zero future. By focusing on low-waste solutions, advanced manufacturing, and the efficient use of timber resources, the hub aligns perfectly with AKD’s vision of a sustainable and resilient industry.

AKD’s involvement is driven by its commitment to innovation, with all members of the AKD Tech team proudly serving as partner investigators. Mateo Gutierrez, AKD’s National R&D and Product Engineer, brings his expertise to the forefront as a partner investigator and a member of the Executive Board for the ARC Advance Timber Hub.

Through this collaboration, AKD is contributing to exciting projects with real-world impact under Hub Research Nodes: Manufacturing Innovation & Value-Chain Innovation:

• Project 6.1: Improving resource availability and utilisation in residential construction.
• Project 7.3: Developing Engineered Wood Products (EWPs) to maximise recovery and use of Australian forest wood fibre.
• Project 7.4: Creating an open-data framework to map the forest-to-building value chain.

These projects aim to optimise timber use, enhance fibre recovery, and boost building material availability – critical steps to addressing Australia’s housing crisis.

Other projects, such as Project 6.6, aims to develop a framework and necessary digital tools for adaptively fabricating pre-fab components from defective timber sources, Project 6.5, explore advanced technologies for assembling innovative timber products, while Project 6.3B focuses on optimising sawmilling processes to integrate with prefabrication systems. These efforts drive sustainability, reduce waste, and equip Frame & Truss customers with the tools and insights to design and build more efficiently.

“These projects are a game-changer for Australia’s timber industry. By collaborating with the ARC Advance Timber Hub, we’re building the knowledge and tools to create smarter, more sustainable solutions for our customers and the broader industry. This is innovation in action – working together to tackle the housing crisis and reduce our environmental impact.”  Mateo Gutierrez.

AKD, in collaboration with the ARC Advance Timber Hub, invites Frame and Truss customers to join us on this journey.

If you’re interested in participating in any of these projects or would like to learn more about the project scope and deliverables please view the ARC Advance Timber Hub website – www.advance-timber-hub.org or please feel free to contact us. Email AKD: akd.productsupport@akd.com.au or ARC Advance Timber Hub:  timber@civil.uq.edu.au to discover how you can get involved.