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Remanufacturing & EOL

Improving Recycling Efficiency of Portable Electronics by Automating Battery Disassembly

Improving Recycling Efficiency of Portable Electronics by Automating Battery Disassembly

This project proposes to develop an automated and integrated battery disassembly process for EOL PCEs using a modular approach, as well as design and develop a component disassembly and battery removal process using a combination of mechanical (e.g., robotic disassembly, water-jet cutting), chemical, and thermal approaches to increase EOL PCE materials recover and processes throughputs

Upon completion, this project will design a prototype system, built and operated to confirm system effectiveness. This project will increase secondary materials by 0.03 million metric tons (MMT) of e-waste, 3.6 PJ energy reduction, 0.180MMTCO2e. Assumptions based on recovery of 20% of 150,000 metric tons per year of PCE discarded.

Project Team:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Sunnking, University at Buffalo (UB), Iowa State University (ISU)

21-01-RM-5083

Hybrid Laser Processing for Metallic Surface Remanufacturing

Hybrid Laser Processing for Metallic Surface Remanufacturing

The goal of this project is to develop a novel remanufacturing strategy using hybrid laser surface processing for effective removal of corrosion and coatings and fast repair of metallic surfaces. In specific, laser surface ablation will be used to remove coating/corrosion, while laser surface remelting will be applied to repair surface defects (cracks and wear damages) to restore the surface integrity. The outcomes of this research will yield a prototype robot-integrated hybrid laser system that can be used for surface remanufacturing of components with complex geometry. This project's energy savings are estimated at 16.5MJ/kg of reman product. 

Project Team:
Iowa State University (ISU), University of Nevada, Reno, Volvo

21-01-RM-5086

Fast Diagnostics to Enable EV Battery Reuse

Fast Diagnostics to Enable EV Battery Reuse

This project aims to develop a portable test technology to verify SOH of used EV batteries, in the field to enable re-use of battery packs as opposed to materials recycling. Upon completion, this project will deliver a portable sensor technology for lower-cost in-field testing of used electric vehicle (EV) battery health and usability for second-life battery (2LB) applications. Additionally, this project will deliver faster portable battery diagnostics that can increase test throughput by 3x, reduce overall shipping and warehousing requirements by 30%, and reduce overall repurposing costs by 36%, and repurposing 1MWh of batteries reduces emissions by 73 MT CO2E by offsetting new battery manufacturing. 

Project Team:
ReJoule, Renewance

21-01-RM-5019

High Speed Laser Cladding Repair Process Development

High Speed Laser Cladding Repair Process Development

This project seeks to expand upon the exploratory project, 18-02-RM-03 results to more fully vet the capabilities of HSLC and investigate additional additive repair applications that are challenging due to strength requirements, distortion requirements, and wear requirement. Limitations to the performance of the developed HSLC system will also be addressed, including design of a nozzle with HSLC in mind that incorporates additional cooling and improved powder focus. The technology solution that will be delivered at the end of the project is HSLC material system repair techniques, including a new powder nozzle design, and a general process guide to describe application of the repair methods. This project will reduce primary feedstock by 0.014 million metric tons (MMT) steel, 13.8 PJ energy reduction, 0.8 MMTCO2e. Assumptions based on preliminary results of 18-02-RM-03. 

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Caterpillar Inc., Synergy Additive Manufacturing

21-01-RM-5027

Automation for Remanufacturing of Battery Modules

Automation for Remanufacturing of Battery Modules

This project seeks to develop an automation process, enabled by a computer vision system and robotic arms for facilitating routine disassembly and human-in-the-loop, to enable a more flexible, safer, and more efficient LIB disassembly process. Upon completion, this project will deliver the capability to identify damaged and severely degraded modules using electrical test and thermal imaging, a process for high-value assessment of the entire battery pack using electrical tests, and elements for automation of the pack disassembly such as robotic removal of battery pack fasteners. This project will increase recovery of secondary feedstock by 0.198 MMT, save 33PJ of embodied energy, reduce GHG by 2.12 MMT of CO2, based on a doubling of the current reman rate for current EV production of 3.1 million cars.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), BigBattery

21-01-RM-5039

Development of Hybrid Repair and Nondestructive Evaluation Technologies for Aerospace Components

Development of Hybrid Repair and Nondestructive Evaluation Technologies for Aerospace Components

The objective of this project is to develop an integrated hybrid DED/insitu multi-modal data acquisition and NDE modeling of DED repairs for aerospace materials (i.e. medium carbon low alloy steel and a nickel-based superalloy) to increase the successful repair and reuse of these materials. This proposed project is a continuation exploratory project 18-01-RM-09.  

The final product will be a complete software package that can automatically perform multi-modal (surface topography and thermal imaging) in-situ data acquisition (residual stresses) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) analysis for industry users without expertise in 3D scanning, thermal imaging, and XRD. This project will create embodied energy savings of 1.56PJ and GHG emissions reduction of 0.0915MMT of CO2, based on an increase in successful repair of 0.021MMT of aerospace parts such as turbine shafts.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Iowa State University (ISU), The Ohio State University (OSU), Simufact, Hybrid Manufacturing Tech, Proto Mfg. Inc., Pratt & Whitney

21-01-RM-5062

Remanufacturing of Surface-Hardened Steel Components by Ultrasonic Surface Modification

Remanufacturing of Surface-Hardened Steel Components by Ultrasonic Surface Modification

This project seeks to develop practical repair techniques to recover nominal ‘as-new’ fatigue life in used or worn surface-hardened steel components by i) forging closed preexisting microcracks, ii) introducing beneficial compressive residual stresses (CRS) deeper than conventional shot peening, and iii) generating a nanocrystalline microstructure at the surface. Surface repairs based on UIT (a form of high-frequency needle peening) will be developed for a range of usage-induced damage conditions that are commonly found in these components, but for which there is a lack of practical repair methods.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Caterpillar, Inc., University of Pittsburgh (PITT)

20-01-RM-4012

Development of Instruments and Techniques That Can Assess Tire Life and Increase Re-Manufacturing of Commercial Vehicle Tires

Development of Instruments and Techniques That Can Assess Tire Life and Increase Re-Manufacturing of Commercial Vehicle Tires

This project seeks to increase the average number of times commercial vehicle tires are re-manufactured (retreaded) through the development of instruments and techniques that can assess the remaining useful life of tires in operation and optimize tire remanufacture.

Project Team:
Michelin North America, Northwestern University

20-01-RM-4006

High Speed Laser Cladding for Hard Surface Replacement

High Speed Laser Cladding for Hard Surface Replacement

This project lays out a novel technique - high speed laser cladding - for remanufacturing high-strength components such as crankshafts and camshafts. While cladding is a proven technique for applying wear-resistant metal coatings In manufacturing, high-speed laser cladding increases productivity and significantly reduce the cost of applying the layers That will enable use of this technology in remanufacturing.

The new approach to cladding will result in increasing the reuse rate in engine remanufacturing from 70% to 95%, reducing annual embodied energy and emissions by 1.3 PJ and 44,000 metric tons, respectively.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology, Caterpillar Inc., Synergy Additive Manufacturing

18-02-RM-03

Non-Destructive In-process Assessment of Thermal Spray Repairs

Non-Destructive In-process Assessment of Thermal Spray Repairs

Thermal spray process inspection is currently lot-based which can result in the rejection of entire lots of parts due to process variation. This project will focus on development of non-destructive in-process evaluation of thermal spray to minimize reject rates of good parts.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Caterpillar Inc.

18-01-RM-11

Rapid Damage Identification to Reduce Remanufacturing Costs

Rapid Damage Identification to Reduce Remanufacturing Costs

The objective of this project is to develop and validate a remanufacturability assessment method that will support decision making about the viability of remanufacturing a component. The proposed method is based on development of machine learning (ML) techniques for recognizing different types of component damage, embedding developed ML algorithms in low-cost, damage-identification hardware for use in-process at the remanufacturing factory floor, and using this in-process technique to develop a real- time estimate of remanufacturing costs for a component. Although most high-value, metal-alloy components can be remanufactured, sufficiently accurate and rapid decision making support tools are needed to significantly reduce remanufacturing costs and increase the throughput and volume of remanufactured components.

Project Team:
Iowa State University, John Deere & Company

19-01-RM-05

In-situ Nondestructive Evaluation of In-flight Particle Dynamics and Intrinsic Properties for Thermal Spray Repairs

In-situ Nondestructive Evaluation of In-flight Particle Dynamics and Intrinsic Properties for Thermal Spray Repairs

The quality of coated surfaces from thermal spray repairs is determined by the particles impacting the surface. A better understanding of in-flight particle dynamics will enable improved success rates for repairs in the remanufacturing industry.

Project Team:
Iowa State University, John Deere

18-01-RM-09

Epoxy/Silicon Potting Material Removal for Greater Recovery of Circuit Boards

Epoxy/Silicon Potting Material Removal for Greater Recovery of Circuit Boards

More cost-effective technologies are needed to remove coating or potting materials from circuit boards to enable repair and reuse. Two alternative technologies, laser ablation and micro-media blasting, will be tested and evaluated to quantify cost-effectiveness relative to industry specified cost targets.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology, Caterpillar Inc., CoreCentric Solutions

18-01-RM-13

Quantitative Non-Destructive Evaluation of Fatigue Damage Based on Multi-Sensor Fusion

Quantitative Non-Destructive Evaluation of Fatigue Damage Based on Multi-Sensor Fusion

Current single-sensor non-destructive fatigue damage evaluation techniques have limited accuracy in predicting actual fatigue damage and the remaining useful life of a recovered part. The integration of multiple sensors which respond differently to fatigue damage has the potential of increasing the predictive accuracy of remaining useful life of materials to enable higher remanufacturing rates of parts.

Project Team:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Pennsylvania State University

18-01-RM-12

Low Heat Repair of Cast Iron

Low Heat Repair of Cast Iron

The objective of this project is to develop a robust weld repair process that does not require pre-heat temperatures greater than 315°C and shortens cool down periods to less than eight hours. In addition, the process will be able to consistently create a weld with minimal regions of high hardness and no cracks in or around the weld.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology, John Deere Reman

19-01-RM-04

Remaining Life Determination

Remaining Life Determination

Non-destructive methods to measure accumulated mechanical damage (i.e., fatigue) prior to failure do not exist. Research will focus on methods to reliably detect features associated with early stage fatigue damage to predict the remaining useful life of the part.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Caterpillar Inc.

18-01-RM-10

Condition Assessment of Used Electronics

Condition Assessment of Used Electronics

Detecting solder joint and interconnection failures on used electronics presents a serious cost challenge for remanufacturers because detection is currently completed manually. Several automated methods for detection of these failures will be examined to determine their feasibility for use in the remanufacturing industry.

Project Team:
Rochester Institute of Technology, Caterpillar Inc., CoreCentric Solutions

18-01-RM-14

 

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