Institute of Processes Engineering
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Scientific Activity and Projects
The scientific and research activities of the Institute focus on the study of the influential parameters of mechanical wood processing on cutting resistance, energy consumption, quality of the treated surface and durability of woodworking tools. The Institute is also conducting intensive research into the possibility of forest derived biomass and wood residues utilization in bioenergy production. A number of researches were conducted in the application of mathematical-statistical models in forecasting of the important macroeconomic variables related to the wood product market and the interdisciplinary researches related to the protection of the working environment as well of the general wood-processing and forest environment, and above all protection from noise, vibration and wood dust, as well as the surveys on the effects of the professional exposure of workers in the wood industry and forestry on the worker's health.
Professional Activity
The professional activity of the Institute is focused on optimizing the operation of the machines, devices and tools in the wood industry, elaborating technological processes with emphasis on the selection of machines and transport devices, elaborating boiler plant and heating systems designs for the distribution of thermal energy, designing projects for technical improvements and enhancement of the overall efficiency in production, distribution and use of thermal energy in wood processing plants, expertise in biomass properties analysis and more.
History of the Institute
The teaching areas of the present Institute were already represented in the basic educational programmes of the current higher-education curriculum at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology included in the Rules of Internal Organization of the College of Economy and Forestry in Križevci from 1860. With the establishment of the Academy of Forestry at the University of Zagreb in 1898, a new scientific and examination order was adopted which includes many origins of the existing courses at the present Institute, and the foundation of the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology in 1919 did not result in important changes. This curriculum, with minor changes, was implemented until the so-called first bifurcation in 1947, when radical changes were made in regard to the organization of the Faculty, but insignificant in regards to the activities of the Institute.
There were no major changes in the curriculum of the Institute till the academic year 1997/1998 with the introduction of the elective/optional courses for the first time. The introduction of the Bologna Process into the Croatian higher education system in 2003 led to an extensive study reform and the organization of studies at three levels. From the beginning of the academic year 2005/2006 the number of courses taught at the Institute increased significantly, yet the teaching areas remained mostly the same. The contents of the courses have been updated and modernized and a change in the teaching paradigm was done as it now lays its focus on the student and on the student’s learning results. There have not been further changes of the educational programmes of the Institute since then.
The first head of the Chair of Mechanical Engineering since the division of the Faculty into two departments was prof. Raimond Fantoni. His successor was prof. Đuro Hamm. The present form of the Institute was created in 1995 by merging a part of the Chair of Mechanical Engineering and the Chair of Mathematics and naming it the Institute of Mathematics and Fundamentals of Engineering. Prior to mentioned integration of the Chairs, the Head of the Chair of Mechanical Engineering was from 1984 prof. Stanislav Sever, PhD, and the Head of the Chair of Mathematics prof. Vladimir Hitrec. PhD. In the academic year 2005/2006 the institute changed its name to the Institute of Process Technology.
Since the establishment of the Institute in its present form in 1995, the Head of the Institute was prof. Vlado Goglia, PhD, and upon his retirement in 2016, prof. Ružica Beljo Lučić, PhD, was elected the Head of the Institute.
- Employees
- Research Activities
- Current
- Courses
- Laboratory of Mechanical Wood Processing
- Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Measurements
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