budget
5.995.026,10 €
CONSORTIUM
20 partners
PARTNERS
Politecnico di Milano (Italia) – OFFIS e.V. (Germania) – Österreichische Gesellschaft für System – FFG (Germania) – SUPSI – Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana SUPSI (Svizzera) – Innovalia – Asociación de empresas tecnológicas (Spagna) – Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek (Paesi Bassi) – TXT e-solutions (Italia) – Centro Ricerche Fiat S.c.p.a. (Italia) – Robert Bosch GmbH (Germania) – Continental SCR (Francia) – Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A. (Italia) – Maras BV – Material Recycling and Sustainability (Paesi Bassi) – BeSu.Solutions GmbH (Germania) – Pollini Lorenzo e Figli SRL (Italia) – Tracxon b.v. (Paesi Bassi) – ERION WEEE (Italia) – Deutsches Institut für Normung (Germania) – MADE – Competence Center Industria 4.0 (Italia) – Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ungheria).
i partner
Politecnico di Milano (Italia) – OFFIS e.V. (Germania) – Österreichische Gesellschaft für System – FFG (Germania) – SUPSI – Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana SUPSI (Svizzera) – Innovalia – Asociación de empresas tecnológicas (Spagna) – Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek (Paesi Bassi) – TXT e-solutions (Italia) – Centro Ricerche Fiat S.c.p.a. (Italia) – Robert Bosch GmbH (Germania) – Continental SCR (Francia) – Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A. (Italia) – Maras BV – Material Recycling and Sustainability (Paesi Bassi) – BeSu.Solutions GmbH (Germania) – Pollini Lorenzo e Figli SRL (Italia) – Tracxon b.v. (Paesi Bassi) – ERION WEEE (Italia) – Deutsches Institut für Normung (Germania) – MADE – Competence Center Industria 4.0 (Italia) – Pécs-Baranya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ungheria).
Overview
The CIRC-UITS project is an initiative aimed at enhancing sustainability and circularity in the European electronic components industry, with a specific focus on semiconductors. Targeting key sectors such as automotive and mass electronics, the project promotes end-of-life (EoL) strategies, including the reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling of semiconductors from various sources.
The objective is to strengthen intra-EU production, reducing dependence on external suppliers, particularly from the Far East. The strategy involves decoupling from natural resource depletion and minimizing reliance on critical materials through a circular economy approach.
The project aligns with European Union directives and strategies, such as the European Chips Act (which concerns semiconductors) and the Digital Product Passport (regulating e-waste policies) to comprehensively address challenges in the electronic components industry.
Objective
- Unlocking full potentials and benefits of circular practices through digital technologies
- Increasing resource efficiency and independency and reducing the negative environmental footprint of electronics production processes through circular behaviours
- Improving and standardize information data sharing and exchange among industrial leaders involved in the same and/or similar value chain
- Demonstrate the benefits coming from Digital Circular Economy through 4 pilots
Expected results
Pilot #1: Eco-design and manufacturing of green EV inverters
1) Sustainable dashboards (Software Tool) to support developer in the design and decision phase,
2) Benchmark of design concept due to use of eco-friendly material and processes
3) Improved competitiveness due to better sustainable and regional (EU) Products
4) Innovative disassembly solutions for repairing, refurbishment, re-use and recycling leading to reduction of raw materials and circular production improvements
5) Transparency of current CO2 footprint and potential of savings by using sustainable dashboards
Pilot#2: Eco-design and manufacturing of next-gen tyre sensors
1) Innovative Glue process with non-destructive disassembled capacities providing solutions for recycling and reusable sensor, leading to reduction of raw materials and circular production improvements
2) New design concept using eco-friendly materials and solutions
3) New process concept base on cyber factory and twin digital leading to factory of future assembly lines solutions implementing recycling and reusable product
Pilot #3: Eco-design and manufacturing of green IME
1) IME design(s) with fully integrated PCB with disassembly solution for recycling and reusable products, leading to reduction of raw materials and circular production improvements
2) End-of-life repairability for preventing early EOL
3) Application of new LCA assessment tools focusing on printed electronics
4) Implementing best practices, process techniques, materials and (eco-)designs for IME manufacturing on large scale
5) Business case of recycled components and materials and its re-application in circular economy
Pilot #4: Obsolete PCBs sorting
1. PCB Data and Recovered Materials:
- Identification and classification of used PCBs
Analysis of materials in PCBs - Evaluation of recovery processes and estimates of the value of recovered materials
2. Optimal Recycling System Architecture and Structure
- Implementation of efficient and sustainable recycling facilities
- Use of advanced separation and recovery techniques
- Automated monitoring and control of recycling processes
3. Warehouse of Used PCBs: Creation of a secure and organized storage system
Benefits for companies
- Provide new business models and requirements to avoid environmentally harmful products
- Provide companies the tools to make more sustainable decisions, as to avoid “Green washing”
- Provide companies access to a wider supply market, expanding the secondary raw materials and a more diversified selection
- Innovative value chains from large-scale deployment and demonstration of new technologies
MADE4.0 role
MADE4.0 is in charge of disseminating the results of the project, correlating it with other European projects part of the consortium.
Impact
