Circular Integration of independent Reverse supply Chains for the smart reUse of IndusTrially relevant Semiconductors

Project Information

CIRC-UITS

Grant agreement ID: 101091490

DOI

10.3030/101091490

Project closed

EC signature date 1 December 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2025

Funded under

• Digital, Industry and Space

Total cost

€ 5 995 026,10

EU contribution

€ 5 995 026,10

Coordinated by

POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CIRC-UITS (Circular Integration of independent Reverse supply Chains for the smart reUse of IndusTrially relevant Semiconductors)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Considering the increasing demand for data gathering, management and analysis, the global economy is becoming even more semiconductor-dependent. Several sectors are embedding within their products lots of sensors, actuators, electronic control units and telecommunication systems allowing a direct interconnection of the product with the world wide web and a realtime exchange of information. Among these sectors, mass electronics and automotive sectors are those that, more than others, have seen an exponential adoption of these technologies since many years. However, a strong dependency from semiconductor-based systems is presenting (especially in the last years) several weaknesses and risks that Europe should solve as soon as possible. Among them, the most important issue relates with the lack of European semiconductors companies and the full dependency from extra-EU suppliers (mainly China and Taiwan). This lack brought the European economy towards the current semiconductor crisis who is strongly influencing some of its strategic markets (e.g. automotive). Another important issue relates with the scarce ability of the European economy to recover strategic components/materials embedded in electronic equipments and exploit them to make new (high value) products. This way, high semiconductor-dependent sectors became some of the most environmental-impacting markets worldwide. From this side, End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) and e-wastes has been renown since many years like two of the most important sources of secondary raw materials. Trying to cope with all these challenges, the European Commission (EC) published (and in some cases is still working on) specific EU strategies/directives for automotive, e-waste (e.g. Digital Product Passport) and, specifically, semiconductors (e.g. European Chips Act). However, trying to make these sectors more sustainable, circular and resilient, it is mandatory to boost both EoL strategies (e.g. sorting, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling) and intra-EU production through innovations and investments. The current international scenario represents a good chance to decouple the European economy from both natural resource depletion (e.g. Critical Raw Materials - CRMs) and dependency from extra-EU supplies of strategic products. In order to better prove what the benefits are of a joined circular/resilient use of secondary resources, the automotive and mass electronics sectors have been identified as the reference contexts for establishing a set of innovative solutions. To this aim, the CIRC-UITS project will focus on demonstrate the improvement to the circularity of automotive and mass electronics sectors by recovering materials from wasted products, as well as supporting the reuse & remanufacturing of electronic components into new (high value) products in these sectors. In this scenario the main goals of CIRC-UITS are: A) Unlocking full potentials/benefits of circular practices through digital technologies; B) Increasing resource efficiency/independency and reducing the negative environmental footprint of electronics production processes through circular behaviours; C) Improving/standardize information/data sharing/exchange among industrial leaders involved in the same and/or similar value chain; D) Demonstrate the benefits coming from Digital Circular Economy through 4 pilots.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Within WP1, T1.1 developed a reference framework on MIRO®. T1.2 gathered all the technical requirements needed to design the digital tools in WP2. Finally, T1.3 gathered all the operational requirements about the industrial scenarios to implement the four pilots in WP4. Achievements: 1) reference framework, 2) list of technical requirements, 3) list of operational requirements.

Within WP2, T2.1 studied the state of the art of Data Spaces and Digital Product Passport and analysed the most used IoT protocols. Achievements: 1) A strategy for secure data exchange and 2) Selection of a framework technology for Data Space connector. T2.2 designed the toolbox architecture and the partners role was defined, including all 4 pilots. Achievements: 1) 1st version of the CIRC-UITS digital toolbox, 2) 1st iteration of technical developments for some components. T2.3 developed the Digital Twin architecture, including the pilot case studies.

Within WP3, T3.1 performed the following work: 1) LCS&CA Methodology Definition, 2) AI-based advisory state of the art, 3) Pilot Inventory Table, 4) Identification of Needs, 5) User Stories, 6) Selection of Indicators. Achievements: 1) CIRC-UITS LCS&CA and Advisory Framework, 2) AI-based advisory use cases, 3) Identification of pilot needs and user stories. T3.2 performed the following work: 1) Data Collection, 2) Design of Services Architecture, 3) Definition of the Assessment and Advisory services integration flows to enable non-experts to assess the impact of their decisions. Achievements: 1) Initial data collection for the LCA of the pilot 1 and pilot 2, 2) Assessment and Advisory services architecture, 3) Assessment and Advisory services integration flows

Within WP4, four pilots have been implemented. PILOT 1 assessed the disassemblability & repairability of ESPs => ECO Design PILOT 2 designed two new green TPMS prototypes by following the eco-design logic. PILOT 3 assessed the eco-design & repairability of IME prototypes. PILOT 4 assessed new sorting procedures for the automatic obsolete PCBs selection. In addition, the design, implementation and testing of new AI-based PCB disassembly procedures is supporting all the pilots. Achievements: 1) definition of ESP's disassemblability & repairability issues/needs, 2) design of two innovative green TPMS prototypes, 3) definition of IME eco-design & repairability issues/needs, 4) definition of new sorting procedures for obsolete PCBs.   

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

1) CIRC-UITS electronics circularity toolbox (further demo needed)
2) Digital Twin with advisory functions (further research needed)
3) Digital twin-based process line and design concepts (further demo needed)
4) Extended lifecycle of parts (further research needed)
5) GRETA - web-based microservices (further demo needed)
6) Innovative disassembly solutions for repairing refurbishment, re-use and recycling (further research needed)
7) Knowledge on circularity in printed electronics and integration of circularity concepts in structural electronics (further demo needed) 
8) Learning Factory on Circular Business Model (further research needed)
9) Low Temperature Soldering Materials (further demo needed)
10) Methodologies to calculate and interpret sustainability assessment results (further demo needed)
11) Optimized Disassembly/Rework Operations (further demo needed)
12) Recycling simulation tool (further demo needed)
13) Serious games (further demo needed)