Circular Economy Electric Motors And Batteries: One Life is Not Enough

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Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Umformtechnik IWU

FAULHABER Drive Systems

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

How the recycling and reuse of raw materials and components can work economically is demonstrated by the Zirkel consortium using the example of electric motors and batteries in automobiles. The core idea: a product design that already considers disassembly and automated disassembly processes.

Electric motors are central components of electromobility. Their interior consists largely of sought-after metals such as copper and aluminum and rare earth elements like neodymium. All materials whose recovery is becoming increasingly essential in light of growing resource scarcity and geopolitical dependencies.

The project Zirkel (Editor's note: project-specific spelling ZIRKEL), funded by the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology, and Space, has developed practical solutions over the past three and a half years for automated disassembly and advanced material recycling of highly integrated components from battery-electric vehicles. While part of the consortium focused on high-voltage battery storage systems, Fraunhofer IWU concentrated on the electric motor and its material recycling.

At Fraunhofer IWU, the question was asked: How can screw connections be released quickly and efficiently, even when the components are dirty or worn?

In response to this central question, Fraunhofer IWU developed an adaptive, robot-supported demonstrator for the automated loosening of screw connections. Instead of a classic industrial robot, a gantry robot is used. With the help of machine vision and AI algorithms, the system is able to detect the position and condition of screw connections and loosen them specifically, even when dealing with heavily soiled or worn components.

VW Engines Disassembled And Analyzed

The starting point was a multi-stage disassembly workshop at Fraunhofer IWU, during which rear-axle and front-axle motors from the Volkswagen Group were disassembled, analyzed, and the process steps documented. A detailed disassembly manual was created, serving as the basis for defining automated processes.

The insights gained were directly incorporated into concrete design recommendations for circular constructions—such as standardizing screw connections or improving the accessibility of fasteners during disassembly.

Remanufacturing Processes for Neodymium Magnets

Special attention was given to the neodymium magnets installed in the rotor, which contain neodymium, one of the most valuable raw materials for electromobility. Various remanufacturing methods were tested in the project, such as mechanical extraction following prior separation of the laminated core or targeted removal using hydraulic presses. The result is a practical methodology for recovering and reusing the magnets with minimal damage.

Only With Design for Recycling Does the Circular Economy Become Economical

The aim of the project was to further develop disassembly and remanufacturing processes technologically so that even complex battery storage systems and electric motors can be largely automated and thus economically deconstructed. Numerous processes and work steps now describe the path from CAD-supported disassembly planning to automated screw detection and experimental reconditioning of magnetic materials.

The developed solution has the advantage of being adaptive, which significantly reduces setup times:

• First, a rough alignment detects that a component is located in the disassembly cell.
• Subsequently (fine alignment), previously learned joints are searched for.
• Now disassembly can be carried out independently of the component.

The only requirement is that the screw head has been trained once. Any number of screw heads can be trained. Standard stereo cameras are sufficient for the developed cost-effective hardware solution.

A key insight is that design for recycling must be an integral part of product development to close cycles both technologically and economically.

Who is Behind the Zirkel Consortium?

Behind Zirkel is a consortium of industry and research. The partners include: Volkswagen AG, Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH Automationssysteme, Deckel Maho Pfronten GmbH, Ascon Systems GmbH, Arxum GmbH, Synergeticon GmbH, Fraunhofer IST, and led by TU Braunschweig.

Zirkel was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research based on a resolution of the German Bundestag.

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