Fraunhofer IPA is working with ten project partners on the “Desire4Electronics” project to advance research into automated disassembly processes for the remanufacturing of small electrical appliances. The project runs from 2023 to 2025 and addresses 7 of the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The German population is currently generating an average of 19.4 kilograms of electronic waste per capita per annum – and the trend is rising. In the case of small electrical appliances, in particular, many of the components containing valuable materials such as copper, polymers or lithium are still functional and could be remanufactured. At present, this process is still very time-consuming. Consequently, the mission of the “Desire4Electronics” project is to develop methods that automate and simplify the remanufacturing of components. As a subdivision of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) techniques will be developed and later applied to the entire remanufacturing process.
The consortium is led by the Robot and Assistive Systems department at Fraunhofer IPA. The Process Innovation project group based at the institute’s Bayreuth site is also collaborating on the research project. Three other partners are involved in the project: acp systems AG, Deprag Schulz GmbH and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. In addition, six associated partners from the waste management industry are lending their support to the project in the form of practical knowledge and can transfer important findings from the project directly into practical application. A resolution adopted by the Bundestag, the German Parliament, has authorized funding for the project from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).
As part of this project, the research network will develop low-risk and intelligent automation solutions for remanufacturing. The focus here is on sustainability. Machine learning techniques will be used to identify device types and joining methods, which will be tested using image and tool data. The results will enable the development of multi-tools that can be used to resolve a series of joining techniques for the disassembly of small electrical devices. Beyond this, methods for automated disassembly are being researched that can also establish the refurbishment process on a profitable basis, including for industrialized countries, thereby contributing to improved sustainability in production and use.
In its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN has developed 17 SDGs, of which 7 are addressed by the project either directly or indirectly:
Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA