Mirka launches Innovation Challenge for new dust management solutions

Mirka is seeking new innovative solutions for dust control and measurement in different working environments. The freshly launched Mirka Innovation Challenge, arranged in collaboration with Spinverse,  invites new ideas and ready solutions for dust level measurement, to join Mirka’s decades of experience in dust-free sanding. 

Mirka Ltd is a world leader in surface finishing technologies, offering a broad range of groundbreaking sanding solutions. As a manufacturer of abrasives and power tools, Mirka is a company that deals with workplace dust by nature. Sanding creates dust that is best kept away from the air, lungs and skin, so that it will not pose an occupational hazard. For this reason, Mirka has dedicated decades of research and development in engineering surface finishing solutions that enable both effective stock removal as well as convenient dust extraction. One example of this is the concept of dust-free sanding, a pioneering Mirka innovation that combines net abrasives with efficient on-tool dust extraction.

To be able to ensure the effectiveness of dust extraction, Mirka is seeking to improve the measuring technology for dust levels. As well as measuring of airborne dust levels in the workplace, the dust extractor itself should measure dust levels in incoming and outgoing air. In other words, ideas should work both “outside the box” as well as inside it!

With the freshly launched Innovation Challenge, Mirka is looking for new solutions and partners focusing on dust management technologies to ensure dust control in different working environments. We are interested in fresh ideas or ready solutions either regarding on-line measurements at a working space or smaller devices that could be directly integrated to Mirka sanding tools.

The Challenge

We are seeking ideas from research groups and companies of all sizes. We are open to all proposals, from ambitious out-of-the-box ideas to down-to-earth solutions but the feasibility of the solution needs to be understood. The goal in the Innovation Challenge is to find new solutions that can be applied by Mirka and its partners in two ways:

1. Dust particle measurements from the air at the workspace, or
2. Dust particle measurements integrated to the Mirka tools

We call for robust solutions which have a good endurance in the challenging use conditions such as impact tolerance. The ideas can be related (but not limited) to environments like woodworking industry, car repair shops or construction.

Why participate?

Mirka is looking for partners to apply the solutions together in real products and bring them to the markets. We are inviting large companies, SMEs, start-ups, universities, RTOs to offer their proposals. Mirka’s large partner and customer network is available for testing and validating the solution. Depending on the technology maturity level and further development needs, joint R&D projects are also possible. Winners will have access to technology expertise, business knowledge and the international customer network of Mirka.

Proposals

Proposals are submitted via web tool (link below). Remember to crystallize your solution, how it works and solves the challenge, what is the technical feasibility and maturity, and what is the background of the team (altogether max 600 words). The preferred solution(s) should solve the bottlenecks of the existing technologies.

Expected features:

• The solution needs to be robust and work in an industrial environment
• Continuous measurement of dust particle amount, concentration, and size distribution with sufficient accuracy
• Typical particle size range: 1-20 µm
• Optional: same solution measuring also VOCs and formaldehyde content in air
• No need for regular calibration
• Small and affordable
  o The device for solution No. 2 (integrated version) should be small enough to hold in your hand
• Wireless data transfer possible in solution No. 1

Description of the Innovation Challenge process

The Innovation Challenge is organized by Spinverse in collaboration with Mirka.

• Submit your proposal by 30.06.2021 at 23.00 (CET).
• Finalists will be selected by 10.08.2021
• Coaching the teams, facilitated by Spinverse, will take place in August 2021.
• The finalists will individually present their ideas to Mirka representatives at the Pitching Day in Early September 2021.

Further Information

Anni Koponen, +358 50 407 2723, anni.koponen@spinverse.com, Spinverse

Veli-Pekka Västi, +358 40 584 1577, veli-pekka.vasti@mirka.com, Mirka