Discuss my project
View short examples
SUBSTANTIVELY REVIEWED BY PETER KLAREN, FISCAL ECONOMIST AND WBSO SPECIALIST · LAST REVIEWED SEPTEMBER 2026
About these cases: the four files are representative, anonymised case files based on common WBSO situations — not literal client files. The technical structure — bottleneck, solution direction and scope — reflects how these project types are assessed in practice.
Four WBSO cases at a glance
| Case | Type of S&O | Central technical issue |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning machine | Product development | vibration and positioning accuracy |
| SaaS matching platform | Software | scalability and response time |
| Bio-based extrusion line | Process development | viscosity and process stability |
| Coating crystallisation | Technical-scientific research | cause of unexpected layer formation |
The cases
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Industrial machine with new positioning accuracy
A machine builder must position within ±0.05 mm at twice the speed. Play, elastic deformation and resonances caused existing guidance and damping concepts to fail. Development focused on a proprietary actively damped drive and structural principle.
View the full case →
SOFTWARE
SaaS platform with proprietary matching algorithm
From 2 to 20 million combinations within 200 ms. Existing indexing and query structures and all configuration options failed to scale. A proprietary partitioning structure with incremental scoring was implemented and benchmarked in the company's own software.
View the full case →
PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
Extrusion line for a bio-based plastic
From 350 to 900 kg/h throughput. At higher speed, the bio-based compound became unstable: viscosity shifts and thermal degradation occurred. A new screw geometry, temperature zoning and process control were developed as one new process principle.
View the full case →
TECHNICAL-SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Research into crystallisation behaviour in a coating process
Apparently identical coating batches showed varying crystal forms without a known cause. Systematic research into the underlying nucleation mechanism established an explained and predictable cause.
View the full case →
Examples versus cases
| Page | Purpose |
|---|---|
| WBSO examples | 26 short examples for recognition: “could a project like mine qualify for WBSO?” |
| WBSO cases (this page) | Detailed files: “what does such a WBSO project actually look like technically and administratively?” |
Each case follows the same structure: starting situation → technical objective → bottleneck or phenomenon → why known technology was insufficient → solution directions → experiments → result → what did and did not qualify → where the S&O ended → associated project records → translation into the application.
RELATED PAGES
WBSO examples → Product development → Software → Process development → Technical-scientific research → Project records → WBSO application → WBSO pillar →
Does your project resemble one of these WBSO cases?
Share your technical bottleneck or research question. We compare your situation with the WBSO criteria and provide an initial substantive assessment.
Discuss my project
Take the free WBSO check