Sustainable Remanufacturing solution with increased automation and recycled content in laser and plasma-based process.

Project Information

RESTORE

Grant agreement ID: 101138775

DOI

10.3030/101138775

EC signature date 7 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• Digital, Industry and Space

Total cost

€ 6 286 512,50

EU contribution

€ 4 896 406,25

Coordinated by

EUROPEAN FEDERATION FOR WELDING JOINING AND CUTTING
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RESTORE (Sustainable Remanufacturing solution with increased automation and recycled content in laser and plasma-based process.)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

RESTORE addresses one of Europe’s key industrial challenges: how to make manufacturing circular, digital, and low carbon while remaining globally competitive. Remanufacturing extends product life and cuts material and energy use, yet its uptake across European industry is still limited by technical, digital, and regulatory barriers. Processes are often manual and inefficient, the use of recycled feedstock is constrained, and the absence of standardized qualification and traceability systems hinders wider adoption. In this context, RESTORE was conceived to demonstrate that remanufacturing can become a mainstream, data-driven industrial practice aligned with the European Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan, and EU Industrial Strategy. The project combines process innovation, digital transformation, and sustainability assessment to enable high-value component repair in sectors such as rail, steel, marine, and automotive manufacturing.

The overall goal of RESTORE is to develop and demonstrate sustainable remanufacturing processes and digital tools that close material loops and increase automation and traceability across the value chain. The project advances hybrid laser + plasma (PTA) cladding and laser DED technologies, integrating recycled consumables and adaptive closed-loop control to achieve high-quality, low-waste repairs. Complementary digital tools—3D scanning, automated CAD reconstruction, melt-pool and thermo-mechanical simulation, and robotic tool-path generation—enable “first-time-right” production. These are linked through a digital ecosystem comprising an ontology, blockchain-based Digital Product Passport (DPP), Circularity Calculator, Life-Cycle Assessment, and a digital marketplace to ensure transparency and collaboration among industrial actors. The pathway to impact follows a technology-to-market trajectory: scientific advances in process efficiency and material reuse underpin environmental gains of up to 50 % reduction in raw-material use and 30–40 % lower energy demand, while supporting qualification and certification frameworks promote regulatory and standardization uptake. Social-science expertise contributes to business-model innovation, skills development, and stakeholder acceptance, ensuring that technological advances align with user needs and policy priorities. By reaching TRL 7–8 by project end, RESTORE is expected to provide a replicable model for digital, circular manufacturing, directly supporting EU objectives for climate neutrality, industrial resilience, and sustainable growth.

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

During RP1, RESTORE made substantial scientific and technical progress toward sustainable, automated remanufacturing. Advanced laser, plasma (PTA), and hybrid cladding processes were developed, achieving deposition rates up to 6 kg/h and dilution below 3%, with adaptive closed-loop control successfully demonstrated. New recycled feedstock routes, including direct swarf feeding and briquet compaction, validated the feasibility of high recycled content consumables, while peening and laser heat treatment improved material fatigue performance. On the digital side, RESTORE delivered end-to-end automation from scanning to CAD reconstruction, robotic toolpath generation, and damage localisation using multi-sensor and machine-learning frameworks. High-fidelity melt pool and thermo-metallurgical simulations and early digital twin integration enhanced predictive modelling and process optimisation. The Digital Product Passport (DPP) architecture, ontology, and APIs were also completed, establishing the foundation for data interoperability and traceability. Standardisation and sustainability mapping began, aligning RESTORE outputs with ISO/CEN/ASTM frameworks. All deliverables were achieved on schedule, positioning the project for full platform integration and industrial demonstration in RP2–RP3.

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)

During RP1, RESTORE delivered strong technical results across process innovation, digitalisation, and sustainability, laying the groundwork for industrial-scale circular remanufacturing. Advanced laser, PTA, and hybrid (laser + PTA) processes achieved deposition rates up to 6 kg/h with <3 % dilution, validated on representative subcomponents and demonstrating high-performance, low-waste repair capabilities. New sustainable feedstock routes—such as direct swarf feeding and compressed briquets—proved the feasibility of using recycled materials without compromising quality. Digital progress included a complete scanning-to-CAD-to-robotic toolpath workflow, real-time adaptive control, and sensor-based monitoring, enabling first-level automation and predictive process planning via open-access melt-pool and thermo-mechanical simulation tools. RESTORE also delivered the first version of its Digital Product Passport (DPP), ontology, and API architecture to ensure traceability and lifecycle data management. These achievements position RESTORE as a key enabler of resource-efficient, low-carbon remanufacturing, capable of reducing raw material use by up to 50 %, cutting energy consumption by 30–40 %, and extending product lifetimes across transport, steel, and marine sectors. With all 13 technical deliverables completed, RESTORE now advances toward TRL 7–8 demonstrations, standardisation, and market deployment, directly supporting the EU Green Deal and Circular Economy goals.