Why Fiber Forming?

Fiber based materials are very efficient in production and can be made from a range of raw materials. However, the conversion of these materials into shaped products poses significant challenges due material properties like anisotropy and hygroscopy.

It is easier to just use injection moulding or thermoforming of polymer materials. But, fiber materials have great advantages in raw material sourcing, in their eco-impact and in their usage for healthy product.


'It is my mission to help you overcome the challenges of fibre forming to make better products.'


Check out some advantages of fibre forming by clicking through the tabs below.

  • Efficient Materials
    Production of fiber-based materials is very efficient and for the bulk of the materials well established and benefitting from the economy of scale.
  • Efficient Technology
    Using forming technologies like pressforming, compression drawing or moulding allows the benefits of the efficient material production to carry over. Furtermore, ambient and dry forming technologies can be very energy-efficient. Forming technolgies are mostly independent of additional materials (e.g. glue, binders, adhesive tape) to achieve high quality formed parts.
  • Efficient Recycling
    Materials and products made from natural fibers, especially paper-based materials, can be recycled incredibly efficient and with very high recycling rates.
  • Effective Resource Usage
    Production of fiber-based materials is highly effective, often using resources without other uses from forestry and agriculture. Thus material production is seldom in conflict with other industries.
  • Effective Technology
    Fiber forming technologies are robust and can be integrated with complex industrial processes. Dry forming technologies, like compression drawing, pressforming and dry moulding, have small energy footprint and require little process resources.
  • Effective Closed Loops
    Formed parts made from fiber-based materials can returned as a resource for material production in many cases, thus closing technological loops. Many fiber-based products are bio-available and, failing to close the technological loop, can still close biological loops by acting as nutrients for new plant growth.
  • Innovative Material Usage
    Unlike petrochemical materials, fiber-based materials can be sourced from a broad spectrum. This also allows novel fiber compositions and added material functionality. Fiber-based materials can be coated, laminated or otherwise combined with barriers and further functional layers.
  • Innovative Geometries
    Advanced fiber forming technologies enable the formation of complex geometries that were previously deemed impossible to produce. This enables formed products to be competitive in several markets.
  • New Customer Experience
    Products and packaging made from formed fiber components has appealing visual and haptic properties. Smart product design with fiber parts enables completely new customer experiences that transport eco-friendly, yet high value impressions.
  • Renewable Resources
    The bulk of fiber-based materials is produced from natural fiber sources, mostly plants. Thus the fibers are regrown by nature. Together with good recycling, natural fiber-based materials contribute to carbon capture and sequestration.
  • Eco-Friendly Products
    The natural origin of most fiber materials gives an inherent eco-friendliness. If highly synthetic and possibly toxic converting steps are avoided, this eco-friendliness can be maintained through the forming processes to the product. The forming steps are designed to have a low CO2 impact and abstain from using eco-toxic process resources.
  • Recylable and Compostable
    Fiber-based materials, especially paper and paperboard, are among the materials with the highest recycling rates. Where recycling is not possible or adequate infrastructure is missing, natural fiber materials can often be composted instead. The applied forming processes do not change the material composition, so that all positive recycling and composting properties are retained in the final product.
  • Natural Materials
    The raw fiber materials for advanced fiber forming can be harvested from natural sources. Most fiber sources are from forestry, where large scale usage of synthetic fertilizers or plant protection is very uncommon.
  • Clean Processes
    The material production can be designed without usage of toxic chemicals, or at least with a full recovery of any chemical residues. Materials produced from recycled fibers are well cleaned. Advanced forming processes rely on a combination of mechanical forces and material conditioning with heat and moisture. Lubrication agents are seldomly necessary, so that the forming processes are generally very clean.
  • Safe Products
    Natural raw materials and clean processes result in safe products. Special requirements in product safety, as with food or pharma products, can be addressed by further optimization of material and process, or by application of additional barrier layers. Plasticizers in polymer products can show homone-like properties and interfere with human and animal development. Fiber-based products do require such plasticizers and can be processed and formed without hazardous chemicals.

Services & Value Offer

Elevate your projects with my extensive experience and expertise, leveraging the scientific method to enhance outcomes. From a diverse array of engineering and technical domains, I offer comprehensive coverage and solutions tailored to your needs. Contact me today for further details, RFQs, and to discuss Terms and Conditions. Find examples and more infos in the tiles below.
Let's drive your projects forward together!

Research & Technology Assessment

Research of state of the art technology and assessment of the technology regarding IPRs and publications. Identification of development possibilities. FtO Analyses.

Technology Ideation & Product Scouting

Ideation of new technolgy applications. Finding suitable use-cases for your technology.

Feasibility Estimation

Conception and plannung of studies for a given porduct. Identification of necessary equipment and correspondence with suitable labs. Compilation of feasibility estimation.

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About Me

Dr.-Ing. | Technology Expert | Enabler

I am passionate about shaping the future of sustainable packaging through innovative technology development in fiber-based materials with my expertise in paper forming and converting processes. I am committed to driving environmental impact with cutting-edge solutions. Let's connect and explore the possibilities of a greener, more sustainable packaging future!

Learn more about me, my background and my skills by clicking through the tabs below!

  • Engineering
    development of processing & packaging machinery adaptive machine control OEE optimization measurement & automatization testing & quality
  • Material Science
    fiber based natural materials & residual materials (e.g. paper, paperboard, grass, hay) material characterization & identification of processing behaviour analysis of material-product interactions
  • Process Technology
    forming processes (pressforming, compression drawing, wet/dry moulding) creasing, cutting & stamping material conditioning & coating identification of significant process parameters & process control
  • Product Design
    10+ years experience requirment analysis planning & execution of feasibilty studies prototype & product development quality measurement product optimization production integration
  • Project Management
    10+ years experience track record of 20+ successful projects with vastly different stake holders (e.g. material producers, converters, OEMs, brand owner, ministries)
  • Methods
    constructive design process design analysis variation design & analysis CAD/CAE measuring & data processing computer vision design of experiment & statistics data mining & data science regression modelling & analysis optimziation adaptive control
  • since 01/2024
    Founder & Chief Technology Expert @ Tobias Müller Engineering
  • 01/2023 - 03/2024
    Manager Engineering, Group Engineering/Packaging Solutions @ Döhler Group
  • 01/2022 - 12/2022
    CTO & Technology Development Engineer New Fiber Materials @ kaloop
  • 09/2017 - 12/2021
    Head of Group "Forming of Fibre based Materials" @ Institute for Natural Materials Technology, TU Dresden
  • 11/2012 - 12/2021
    Member of Academic Staff @ Institute for Natural Materials Technology, TU Dresden
  • 04/2023
    Doktoringenieur (Dr.-Ing.), magna cum laude, Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering, TU Dresden
  • 10/2012
    Diplomingenieur (Dipl.-Ing.), Note 1.2, Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering, TU Dresden
  • 10/2009-09/2012
    Graduate Student in Processing Machines and Processing Technology, TU Dresden
  • 10/2007-09/2009
    Undergraduate Student in Mechanical Engineering, TU Dresden
  • 10/2004-09/2007
    Undergraduate Student in Physics, PU Marburg
  • 04/2003
    Abitur (High-School Diploma), Note 1.4, LOG Bruchköbel
  • 08/2000-07/2001
    Exchange Student, REL High School, USA.
  • Müller, T.: Investigation of the Formability of Compacted Paperboad Through Compression Drawing and Pressfomring. Dissertation, Technische Universität Dresden, 2023.
  • Müller, T., Meyer, M., Lenske, A., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: Optical inline quality assessment of deep-drawn paperboard containers. J. Mater. Process. Technol. 262, 615–621. 2018.
  • Müller, T., Barbier, Ch., Lenske, A., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: Geometry-invariant Wrinkle Detection in Sealing Rims of Paperboard Containers. BioResources, North America, 13(2), 2018.
  • Müller, T., Lenske, A., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: Analysis of Dominant Process Parameters in Deep-Drawing of Paperboard. BioResources, 2017.
  • Müller, T., Lenske, A., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: Method for Fast Quality Evaluation of Deep-Drawn Paperboard Packaging Components. Packaging Technology and Science, 2017.
  • Niini, A., Berthold, L., Müller, T., Tanninen, P., Majschak, J.-P., Varis, J., Leminen, V.: Effect of Blank Moisture Content on Forming Behaviour and Mechanical Properties of Paperboard Tray Packages. Journal of Applied Packaging Research, 2023.
  • Lenske, A., Müller, T., Ludat, N., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.: New Method to Evaluate the In-plane Compression Behavior of Paperboard for the Deep Drawing Process. BioResources, 17(2), 2403-2427. 2022.
  • Lenske, A., Müller, T., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: New Method to Evaluate the Frictional Behavior within the Forming Gap during the Deep Drawing Process of Paperboard. BioResources, 13(3):5580-5597. DOI 10.15376/biores.13.3.5580-5597. 2018.
  • Müller, R., Ullrich, L., Dessel, A.-K., Bengsch, A., Heinze, S., Müller, T., Oehm, L.: Case-based decision support for fault diagnosis: Do salient ratings discourage situation analysis? Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries. 2018.
  • Lenske, A., Müller, T., Penter, L., Schneider, M., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: Evaluating the Factors Influencing the Friction Behavior of Paperboard during the Deep Drawing Process. BioResources 12(4):8340-8358. DOI 10.15376/biores.12.4.8340-8358. 2017.
  • Majschak, J.-P., Mauermann, M., Müller, T., Richter, Ch., Wagner, M., Reinhart, G.: Verarbeitungsanlagen und Verpackungsmaschinen: Geschäftsmodelle, Prozesse, Technik. Handbuch Industrie 4.0. S. 379-427. DOI 10.3139/9783446449893.015. Hanser Verlag, 2017.
  • Oehm, L., Müller, T., Müller, R., Schult, A., Ziegler, J., Majschak, J.-P., Urbas, L.: Kooperative Störungsdiagnose durch Bediener und Assistenzsystem für Verarbeitungsanlagen. In Proceedings: Technische Unterstützungssysteme, die die Menschen wirklich wollen. S. 354-375. Hamburg, 2016.
  • Zundel, M., Müller, T., Tiepmar, J., Beitzen-Heineke, W., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: Umformen von Karton in innovativer Industrieanlage. In Proceedings: 8. wiss. Fachtagung "Wissenschaft trifft Praxis" - VVD 2015. S. 347-365. 2015.
  • Wiemer, H., Müller, T., Hauptmann, M., Majschak, J.-P.: Effiziente Entwicklung komplexer Umformprozesse faserbasierter Materialien durch Methoden des Technologiedatenmanagements. In Proceedings: 8. wiss. Fachtagung "Wissenschaft trifft Praxis" - VVD 2015. S. 301-321. 2015.
  • Müller, T.: Flanschstabilisator für ein Formteil aus Faserwerkstoff, Formteil, Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Formteils und Verwendung eines Flanschstabilisators. Patent Application Nr. 10 2020 115 546.8.
  • Müller, T., Hauptmann, M.: Packmittel umfassend Fasermaterial und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung durch Kompressionsziehen. Patent-Nr. DE 10 2016 106 142 A1. 10/05/2017.
  • Hauptmann, M., Müller, T.: Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Formteilen aus einer Faserwerkstoffbahn. Patent-Nr. DE 10 2014 106 427 A1. 11/12/2015 & WO 2015/169280 A1.

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