Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPTResearch project "DIGITAL_RE-ALISE"
High-quality recycling of hybrid components
Components that consist of different materials are referred to as hybrid components. In lightweight construction, for example, such components can consist of a combination of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), unreinforced plastics and metals. They are often processed into car body components or structural components in the aerospace industry since they have high strength and low weight. However, there are currently no industrial processes for recycling these hybrid components in an economically and technically appropriate manner. For example, high-quality starting materials such as carbon fiber-reinforced plastics are only reused as raw materials with lower-quality mechanical properties as a form of downcycling. In view of their energy-intensive production, reusing fiber-reinforced plastics like this is neither cost-efficient nor sustainable. In the DIGITAL_RE-ALISE research project, researchers at Fraunhofer IPT are working with partners to develop a new, digitalized recycling process that allows hybrid components to be reused in high-quality applications.
High-quality semi-finished products made from recycled materials
In order to recycle hybrid components, they have to be separated into unmixed individual components. Digital tools for image recognition and automation enable users to separate them by capturing individual components of the parts with cameras, to evaluate them and feed them to the separation system. A hybrid component of an electric bicycle serves as a demonstrator for the recycling process in the DIGITAL_RE-ALISE research project.
The project partners manufacture the components from new materials at the start of the project. These are then recycled using the processes developed in the project and broken down into the following materials: metal, plastic and fiber-reinforced plastic. The project partners are focusing on recycling the fiber-reinforced plastic afterwards. The fiber-plastic compound is not separated further, but retained in order to reduce separation and joining expenses and save resources. High-quality recycled semi-finished products are produced from the unmixed components, which are used at the end of the project to manufacture the demonstrator component again from recycled materials.
Digitalization for process optimization and quality assurance
The new recycling process should be applicable to a large number of component types and easy to implement in industry. The project partners are building a prototype plant at Fraunhofer IPT. The entire recycling process chain will be digitally recorded and evaluated throughout the project. This digital shadow can be used to optimize the recycling process and validate material models. Fraunhofer IPT is responsible for the macroscopic separation of FRP, plastic and metal, the integration of the sensor technology into the pilot plant and the process control of the recycling process.
Project consortium
- Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Aachen (Project coordination)
- Athenga GmbH, Bonn
- Hansemold GmbH, Norderstedt
- MABRI.VISION GmbH, Aachen
Funding
The DIGITAL_RE-ALISE research project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) as part of the Lightweight Construction Technology Transfer Program (TTP LB).
Funding code: 03LB3082A