Ultrasonic fixation technology for joints in porous materials from wood to bone
WW Technologies SA
Stansstad NW · Biel/Bienne · Schlieren ZHNew on Amplifa
About WW Technologies
WW Technologies SA (until 2023 WoodWelding SA) develops and licenses an ultrasound-based fixation technology: thermoplastic dowels and pins are inserted into porous substrates using a sonotrode, locally liquefied, and form a mechanically stable bond with the material within 1 to 5 seconds – without screws, glue, or external heat. The technology platform comprises WoodWelding® for wood-based materials such as particleboard, MDF, HDF, plywood, and solid wood, BioWelding® with bio-based or biodegradable fixing elements, BoneWelding® for resorbable osteosynthesis implants (PDLLA or PLLA/PGA mix), ToothWelding for dental applications, and SmartWelding® for fixing smart tags. The company works with licensees such as Würth, Titus Group, IKEA, and KLS Martin and holds a portfolio of more than 70 patents. Its headquarters are located in Stansstad NW, complemented by an industrial workshop in Biel/Bienne and a medical technology workshop in Schlieren.
- Site
- Stansstad
- Processes
- WoodWelding® (ultrasonic fixation of plastic dowels in porous materials), BioWelding® (ultrasonic fixation with bio-based/biodegradable fixing elements), BoneWelding® (minimally invasive ultrasonic fixation of resorbable implants in bone), ToothWelding (ultrasonic fixation of dental fillings, root canal treatment,, SmartWelding® (fixation of smart information tags in various materials), SonicLink™ / Snap Dowel™ (adhesive-free 5-part door assembly with ultrasonic dowel), COLDMELT® (licensed technology Würth, ultrasonic fixation in lightweight materials), Ultrasonic Fixation Technology (WoodWelding, BoneWelding, BioWelding, ToothWelding, SmartWelding,
- Materials
- Thermoplastic (fixing pins/dowels), PDLLA, PLLA (85%)/PGA (15%) mix, Bio-based/biodegradable polymers, Wood, Particleboard, MDF, HDF
- Certificates
- FDA clearance (BoneWelding), Clinically validated procedures
- Founded
- 1999
- Industries
- Furniture industry, Construction, Automotive, Medical technology, Dentistry, Veterinary medicine
- 01
R&D and patent portfolio (over 70 patents)
- 02
Development of custom fixing solutions
- 03
Manufacture of fixing pins/dowels made of thermoplastic or resorbable materials
- 04
Licensing of the technology to industrial partners (Würth, Titus, IKEA, KLS
- 05
Ultrasonic joining process performed by licensees or workshop locations
- 06
Quality monitoring of the joining process (SPC)
Materials & Processes
Thermoplastic
Material of the fixing pins and dowels, which under ultrasound locally liquefies and penetrates into porous substrates.
PDLLA (100 %)
Resorbable polymer for bone fixation, used predominantly in Europe.
PLLA (85 %)/PGA (15 %) mix
Resorbable material mix, used by US licensees for Bonewelding implants.
Bio-based/biodegradable polymers
Replacement for fossil-based thermoplastics in sustainable fixing solutions (BioWelding).
Recycled polymers
For sustainable material options in SonicLink™/Snap Dowel™ joints.
Wood-based materials (particleboard, MDF, HDF, plywood, solid wood)
Porous substrates of WoodWelding® fixation in furniture and construction applications.
Locations
Stansstad
CHHQ
Biel/Bienne
CHIndustrial workshop
- Materials
- Wood-based materials, thermoplastic
Schlieren
CHMedical workshop
- Materials
- PDLLA, PLLA/PGA
Components & Applications
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WoodWelding® (ultrasonic fixation of plastic dowels in porous materials)Joining | – | – | – | – | Wood, Composite materials, Lightweight panels, Particleboard, MDF, HDF, Plywood, Solid wood, Plastic (thermoplastic dowels) |
| BioWelding® (ultrasonic fixation with bio-based/biodegradable fixing elements)Joining | – | – | – | – | bio-based materials, biodegradable materials, porous substrates |
| BoneWelding® (minimally invasive ultrasonic fixation of resorbable implants in bone)Joining | – | – | – | – | PDLLA (100%), PLLA/PGA mix (85%/15%), Bone (trabecular tissue) |
| ToothWelding (ultrasonic fixation of dental fillings, root canal treatment,Joining | – | – | – | – | Thermoplastic, Dentin, Tooth structure |
| SmartWelding® (fixation of smart information tags in various materials)Joining | – | – | – | – | porous materials, Thermoplastic |
| SonicLink™ / Snap Dowel™ (adhesive-free 5-part door assembly with ultrasonic dowel)Joining | – | – | – | – | Wood-based materials, Recycled polymers |
| COLDMELT® (licensed technology Würth, ultrasonic fixation in lightweight materials)Joining | – | – | – | – | light wood-based material, Material for caravan interiors |
4 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultrasonic sonotrode joining device (Sonic Dowel insertion press) | Titus Titusonic® press | – | – | – | – |
| Modular cabinet assembly machine with ultrasonic joining technology | Titus Group ModulR by Titusonic | – | – | – | – |
| Compact handheld device for ultrasonic fixation | Würth COLDMELT® | – | – | – | – |
| Ultrasonic unit for osteosynthesis | KLS Martin SonicWeld Rx® | 3000 | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Every joining operation is captured and documented under statistical process control (SPC), making the quality of each fixation traceable. For the medical applications (BoneWelding®), FDA clearance is in place; the procedures are clinically validated.
| Evidence | Stansstad | Biel/Bienne | Schlieren |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDA clearance (BoneWelding) | |||
| Clinically validated procedures |
History
- 1999
Founded as WoodWelding SA, emerging from Elmar Mock's Creaholic incubation project in Biel.
- 2000
Strategic collaboration Creaholic/GPI SA; first industrial license to Würth.
- 2002
Expansion into bone fixation (Bonewelding); license for cranio-maxillofacial to KLS Martin.
- 2005
Development of Titusonic® together with the Titus Group.
- 2013
License agreement with IKEA for the WoodWelding® technology (e.g. Wedge Dowel, VALJE range).
- 2017
Founding of subsidiary VetWelding AG for the veterinary market.
- 2023
Rebranding from Woodwelding to WW Technologies.