Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MAGELLAN (MAGnets in rEsiLient suppLy chAiNs)
Período documentado: 2024-01-01 hasta 2025-06-30
MAGELLAN (MAGnets in rEsiLient supply chAiNs) is a Horizon Europe Innovation Action running from January 2024 to December 2026 with a budget of 7.5 M€. The project brings together well-known material scientists, designers, manufacturers, recyclers and end-users to accelerate the development of a new sustainable and circular industrial value chain for high performance permanent magnets (PM) used in electric vehicle traction motors (EVTMs), thus contributing to a greener and more self-sufficient Europe.
MAGELLAN covers the entire value chain:
•from optimising sourcing of end-of-life permanent magnets and increasing the recovery of rare earth elements,
•to optimising short-loop recycling processes and developing new near-net-shape manufacturing processes,
•designing advanced magnet shapes and associated rotors to improve the EVTM performances and circularity,
•demonstrating the manufacturing of high performance magnets with 25% in mass of recycled materials as well as magnets with the innovative process of Powder Injection Moulding (PIM).
It will also demonstrate the sustainability and business benefits of its solutions against current scenarios for PM production from third countries and recycling by long loop.
In the first 18 months of its implementation, MAGELLAN set an ambitious target of producing high performance rare earth permanent magnets meeting the requirements of the automotive sector by exploring 2 breakthrough technologies: 1) manufacturing magnets with 25% in mass of recycled materials sourced from EoL light mobility and heavy mobility; 2) designing near-net-shape magnets using the Powder Injection Moulding (PIM) process to decrease material losses during manufacturing and reduce the PM consumption per motor by improving the kW/kg of PM compared with the state of the art. The design of the electric motors rotors is currently being optimised to allow efficient dismantling and increased reuse of permanent magnets.
Despite delays in the initial phase of the project due to (i) slower than expected implementation of certain activities and commissioning of the large equipment to complete the pilot line, as well as (ii) some challenges between WP at the start of the project, the consortium was able to effectively adjust activities and ensure the project progresses towards achieving the expected results, thanks to close coordination mechanisms.
MAGELLAN covers the entire value chain:
•from optimising sourcing of end-of-life permanent magnets and increasing the recovery of rare earth elements,
•to optimising short-loop recycling processes and developing new near-net-shape manufacturing processes,
•designing advanced magnet shapes and associated rotors to improve the EVTM performances and circularity,
•demonstrating the manufacturing of high performance magnets with 25% in mass of recycled materials as well as magnets with the innovative process of Powder Injection Moulding (PIM).
It will also demonstrate the sustainability and business benefits of its solutions against current scenarios for PM production from third countries and recycling by long loop.
In the first 18 months of its implementation, MAGELLAN set an ambitious target of producing high performance rare earth permanent magnets meeting the requirements of the automotive sector by exploring 2 breakthrough technologies: 1) manufacturing magnets with 25% in mass of recycled materials sourced from EoL light mobility and heavy mobility; 2) designing near-net-shape magnets using the Powder Injection Moulding (PIM) process to decrease material losses during manufacturing and reduce the PM consumption per motor by improving the kW/kg of PM compared with the state of the art. The design of the electric motors rotors is currently being optimised to allow efficient dismantling and increased reuse of permanent magnets.
Despite delays in the initial phase of the project due to (i) slower than expected implementation of certain activities and commissioning of the large equipment to complete the pilot line, as well as (ii) some challenges between WP at the start of the project, the consortium was able to effectively adjust activities and ensure the project progresses towards achieving the expected results, thanks to close coordination mechanisms.
WP2 “Improved process routes for resource-efficient permanent magnet”: A reference alloy composition has been successfully designed. It both meets CRF’s requirements for recycled magnets, and the high performance needed by the high-end market (automotive premium). Due to delays in the commissioning of a new pilot line equipment, reference magnets made out of virgin raw materials and production of proof-of-concept recycled magnets were done in existing lines. The magnetic properties of these proof-of-concept recycled magnets are encouraging and demonstrate the potential of the MAGELLAN approach. To qualify the magnetic properties of the manufactured magnets, the reference magnets were analysed with an inter-laboratory cross-characterisation to establish a baseline for the further systematic characterisation of MAGELLAN magnets.
WP3 “Improved magnet & motor design towards recycling": The high-end EDM 800V Motor was selected based on performance, applicability and market relevance. Motor internal drawings could not be provided, so a digital twin from bibliographical work were set up and simulations were started. Two motors were disassembled for reverse engineering which provided better information on the geometries of the rotor, stator and on the magnet sizes, magnetics characteristics and compositions. A reference EVTM digital twin was developed and is ready to receive information from different recycled PM batches to test and initiate the designing of the rotor with PIM PM with the objective to reduce PM mass per kW. The reference and recycled PM manufacturing drawings were provided, and sent for manufacturing. The process flow and design rules to produce near-net-shape magnets by Powder Injection Molding process were defined.
WP4 “Recycling of EoL PM Magnets containing Heavy Rare Earth Elements”: thanks to a strong mobilization of the consortium, 40 kg of PMs from motors of e-scooters and e-bikes were extracted. Additionally, rotors of 22 EoL electric or hybrid cars motors were recovered with an average PM mass estimated at about 1 kg per rotor. The thermomechanical extraction of PMs is currently ongoing. Preliminary plasma melting tests with magnets from mixed industrial uses and with demagnetised PMs from e-scooters were done. In parallel, to determine the best magnet-to-alloy short-loop recycling process, partners started to benchmark the plasma melting route and the induction melting route.
WP5 “Validation of Sustainability and Responsibility of the MAGELLAN solution for PMs”: Studies of the current value chains of REE from both secondary and primary sources show that the current collection methods and the volumes available for recycling are uneconomical and require regulatory support. For the LCA of the MAGELLAN value chain, baseline calculations for the current method of high performance PM production were created. A study on the sustainability of the REE production from mining and EoL products was conducted, which will be used to create sustainability guidelines for the MAGELLAN solution.
WP6 “Demonstration of the MAGELLAN solution for highly recyclable permanent magnets in an EVTM”: Activity was anticipated to take advantage of the reference EVTM availability. They were disassembled and the testing bench adaptation parts were designed and manufactured in order to make the equipment ready for reference EVTM testing. Two reference EVTM were provided for instrumentation and testing to establish the reference results for comparison with MAGELLAN recycled and PIM magnet equipped rotors later in the project.
WP3 “Improved magnet & motor design towards recycling": The high-end EDM 800V Motor was selected based on performance, applicability and market relevance. Motor internal drawings could not be provided, so a digital twin from bibliographical work were set up and simulations were started. Two motors were disassembled for reverse engineering which provided better information on the geometries of the rotor, stator and on the magnet sizes, magnetics characteristics and compositions. A reference EVTM digital twin was developed and is ready to receive information from different recycled PM batches to test and initiate the designing of the rotor with PIM PM with the objective to reduce PM mass per kW. The reference and recycled PM manufacturing drawings were provided, and sent for manufacturing. The process flow and design rules to produce near-net-shape magnets by Powder Injection Molding process were defined.
WP4 “Recycling of EoL PM Magnets containing Heavy Rare Earth Elements”: thanks to a strong mobilization of the consortium, 40 kg of PMs from motors of e-scooters and e-bikes were extracted. Additionally, rotors of 22 EoL electric or hybrid cars motors were recovered with an average PM mass estimated at about 1 kg per rotor. The thermomechanical extraction of PMs is currently ongoing. Preliminary plasma melting tests with magnets from mixed industrial uses and with demagnetised PMs from e-scooters were done. In parallel, to determine the best magnet-to-alloy short-loop recycling process, partners started to benchmark the plasma melting route and the induction melting route.
WP5 “Validation of Sustainability and Responsibility of the MAGELLAN solution for PMs”: Studies of the current value chains of REE from both secondary and primary sources show that the current collection methods and the volumes available for recycling are uneconomical and require regulatory support. For the LCA of the MAGELLAN value chain, baseline calculations for the current method of high performance PM production were created. A study on the sustainability of the REE production from mining and EoL products was conducted, which will be used to create sustainability guidelines for the MAGELLAN solution.
WP6 “Demonstration of the MAGELLAN solution for highly recyclable permanent magnets in an EVTM”: Activity was anticipated to take advantage of the reference EVTM availability. They were disassembled and the testing bench adaptation parts were designed and manufactured in order to make the equipment ready for reference EVTM testing. Two reference EVTM were provided for instrumentation and testing to establish the reference results for comparison with MAGELLAN recycled and PIM magnet equipped rotors later in the project.
MAGELLAN participated in the ad hoc group on the labelling of permanent magnets which aimed to prefigure a European standard to meet the requirements of the Critical Raw Material Act. This ad hoc group allowed all stakeholders to express their needs or constraints, and to report its work to CEN Technical Committee 472. Furthermore, ORANO is a member of AFNOR (the French standardization association) and participates in normative work concerning rare earths and magnets.