**4. Conclusions**

The three-dimensional bending tests regarding the maximum load capacity and the MOE showed that the performance of beech veneer-based 3D molded plywood could be significantly improved by flax fiber reinforcement. In addition, the influence of the mold geometry is significant for the load capacity, but not for the MOE.

Formed parts with few and less pronounced defects, such as cracks and delamination, can be produced using cut-outs in the most deformed area of the 3D molded parts. The location of cracks and delamination found in this study strongly suggests the optimization of the press form and the application of multiaxial press processes to avoid delamination. Moreover, 3D molded parts should be produced with some oversize as 68% of the cracks and 95% of the delamination was found on the outer edges. A majority of defects could be removed in a final trimming process.

Further research is recommended for a deeper understanding of the interaction and influence of veneer thickness and flax fabrics grammage on formability, as well as the influence of veneer pretreatment and hot pressing to improve 3D formability. Additional research should focus on interactions between veneer, flax, and adhesive to determine a better understanding of delamination resistance and supplemented by an evaluation of fiber wetting resulting from the resin. Cost and production aspects have to be taken into account for broader industrial applications. Especially the research on cost efficient industrial glue systems, glue amount optimization, and the influence on the performance of woven flax fiber fabric is worth further research.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization and methodology, J.J., G.K. and M.H.; validation and formal analysis, J.J., G.K. and M.-C.B.; investigation, J.J., G.K. and M.H.; resources and funding acquisition, M.-C.B. and L.K.; writing—original draft preparation, review and editing, J.J., G.K., M.-C.B. and L.K.; supervision and project administration, G.K., M.-C.B. and L.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. **Funding:** This research was supported by Austrian Founding Agency (FFG) Innovations Plus No. 866425 and by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under contracts no. APVV-18-0378, APVV-19-0269, and VEGA 1/0717/19.

**Acknowledgments:** The authors are thankful for the support of J.B. and F.P. for their support in fabricating the press forms and gratefully acknowledge the support of Ing. Thomas Wimmer for his contribution in conducting mechanical testing at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences at Campus Kuchl.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
