Rerouting material streams in the additive manufacturing value chain (RECIRCLE)

Research Project, 2022 – 2025

Purpose and goal: The goal of this project is to increase resource efficiency by applying a methodology based on life cycle assessment (LCA) for the optimization of AM waste streams, leading to a transition from a linear to a circular economy for AM.
The exhaust material from identified waste streams will be re-manufactured during the project. This approach takes full advantage of the metal sources by reducing the need for the extraction of natural resources. Improving sustainability in the metal AM value chain will enable early adopters to fully benefit from the advantages that the technology offers. Expected results and effects: Successfully using the waste material to produce high-quality parts with re-atomized powder from revert scrap will not only reduce the cost of powder for AM, but it will enable end-users to reduce their ecological footprint when producing metal parts. The application of AM enables clear benefits regarding sustainability by improved functionality and reduced weight that will also be implemented when producing the demonstrators. The data generated during the project will serve as a valuable resource for LCA calculations due to the lack of available information from the AM value chain.