Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AutoMat (Compliant and fully AUToMATed circular solutions for multiple battery and battery embedded device enhanced by digital solutions)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-01-01 bis 2025-06-30
The AUTOMAT project seeks to transform the end-of-life management of batteries and electronic devices by advancing next-generation recycling and reuse technologies that integrate automation, data-driven decision-making, and sustainability principles. Its overarching objective is to enable a fully circular battery value chain that minimizes raw material extraction, enhances resource efficiency, and supports the European Union’s transition to a climate-neutral economy. AUTOMAT focuses on the development of cutting-edge sorting and separation technologies that ensure the efficient recovery of critical raw materials, while embedding energy, water, and resource efficiency throughout recycling operations to achieve a low environmental footprint. The project aligns closely with the EU’s Sustainable Raw Materials principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that materials extraction, recycling, and processing are conducted in ways that are socially, economically, and environmentally responsible. By reducing dependence on primary resource extraction, promoting benefits for local communities, and supporting policies under the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and electric mobility strategies, AUTOMAT contributes to Europe’s strategic autonomy in critical materials supply chains.
A central innovation of the project is its integration of Digital Product and Battery Passports, which enable full traceability, transparency, and lifecycle accountability for all battery components, fostering trust and compliance within regulatory frameworks. Additionally, AUTOMAT’s Decision Support System (DSS) is designed to identify and qualify reusable batteries for second-life applications, significantly extending battery lifespans, lowering costs for manufacturers and end-users, and opening new market opportunities. By coupling these technological advances with interdisciplinary expertise in engineering, digitalization, and social sciences, the project ensures that its innovations are socially accepted, economically viable, and policy-relevant. Ultimately, AUTOMAT will contribute to the large-scale deployment of sustainable and automated recycling solutions, reduce Europe’s environmental impact, secure access to critical raw materials, and strengthen its global leadership in green technology innovation.
A central innovation of the project is its integration of Digital Product and Battery Passports, which enable full traceability, transparency, and lifecycle accountability for all battery components, fostering trust and compliance within regulatory frameworks. Additionally, AUTOMAT’s Decision Support System (DSS) is designed to identify and qualify reusable batteries for second-life applications, significantly extending battery lifespans, lowering costs for manufacturers and end-users, and opening new market opportunities. By coupling these technological advances with interdisciplinary expertise in engineering, digitalization, and social sciences, the project ensures that its innovations are socially accepted, economically viable, and policy-relevant. Ultimately, AUTOMAT will contribute to the large-scale deployment of sustainable and automated recycling solutions, reduce Europe’s environmental impact, secure access to critical raw materials, and strengthen its global leadership in green technology innovation.
Since its launch in January 2024, the AUTOMAT project has advanced the development of innovative, automated solutions for the recycling and reuse of end-of-life (EoL) batteries and battery-embedded electronic devices. Bringing together 14 partners from six EU Member States, including leading industrial players and SMEs, the project is creating a comprehensive system that integrates robotic disassembly and sorting, advanced diagnostic tools, and a robust digital platform to ensure full traceability and regulatory compliance across the battery value chain.
In its first 18 months, AUTOMAT has focused on defining detailed technical requirements and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), developing early prototypes, and carrying out experimental validation activities. For automated Device-to-Component (DTC) disassembly, design concepts have been created and benchmarked, laying the foundation for a robotic cell to double current processing rates. The integrated discharge, energy recovery, and testing station is 90% assembled, with HV/LV circuits supporting up to 1000 V and ±200 A. Experiments on flexible cell-cutting technologies have been conducted on cylindrical and prismatic NMC cells, generating performance data to inform scaling and process integration.
Significant progress has also been made on the open digital platform for Digital Battery/Product Passports (DBP/DPP), which now enables secure data ingestion and retrieval, immutable ledger storage, and RBAC-based access control, aligned with Annex A data standards. Preparations for industrial pilot testing are underway, with pilots scheduled to start at Month 19 to validate scalability and assess benefits for downstream recycling and second-life applications.
These achievements establish a solid foundation for AUTOMAT to deliver its ambitious objectives, providing breakthrough solutions for sustainable, automated battery recycling while supporting EU goals on resource efficiency, circular economy, and strategic raw materials autonomy.
In its first 18 months, AUTOMAT has focused on defining detailed technical requirements and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), developing early prototypes, and carrying out experimental validation activities. For automated Device-to-Component (DTC) disassembly, design concepts have been created and benchmarked, laying the foundation for a robotic cell to double current processing rates. The integrated discharge, energy recovery, and testing station is 90% assembled, with HV/LV circuits supporting up to 1000 V and ±200 A. Experiments on flexible cell-cutting technologies have been conducted on cylindrical and prismatic NMC cells, generating performance data to inform scaling and process integration.
Significant progress has also been made on the open digital platform for Digital Battery/Product Passports (DBP/DPP), which now enables secure data ingestion and retrieval, immutable ledger storage, and RBAC-based access control, aligned with Annex A data standards. Preparations for industrial pilot testing are underway, with pilots scheduled to start at Month 19 to validate scalability and assess benefits for downstream recycling and second-life applications.
These achievements establish a solid foundation for AUTOMAT to deliver its ambitious objectives, providing breakthrough solutions for sustainable, automated battery recycling while supporting EU goals on resource efficiency, circular economy, and strategic raw materials autonomy.
The AUTOMAT project is advancing innovative automated technologies for battery disassembly, sorting, and traceability, supporting EU priorities under the Critical Raw Materials Act, the Green Deal, and the Circular Economy Action Plan. By demonstrating closed-loop business models for reusing post-use battery components and materials in both new and second-life applications, AUTOMAT aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on imported resources, lower production costs, and strengthen supply chain resilience. The project also contributes to significant environmental benefits by minimising waste and emissions while fostering high-value job creation in the circular economy sector. Scientifically, AUTOMAT delivers breakthroughs in AI-driven diagnostics, advanced material processing, and cyber-physical systems, laying the foundation for future regulatory and industrial standards. Upcoming pilot demonstrations and standardisation efforts will ensure that these innovations translate into tangible economic, societal, and environmental impact across Europe.