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Challenge

Disassembling complex EoL e-machine units efficiently with minimal to no damage to retrieve high-value components for reuse, remanufacturing and recycling is a significant challenge. By design, these machines are highly integrated using unique manufacturing techniques, thereby making the recovery of components and materials through manual approach, a technically challenging and time-consuming process. The challenge was to turn a complex, manual and carbon-intensive activity into an automated and minimally destructive process to unlock the maximum potential value from retrieved components and materials, while reducing the laborious nature of manual disassembly, both in term鈥媠鈥� of time and technical complexity.

Solution

WMG and the AMRC, leveraging their respective expertise as members of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult network, formed a collaboration with WMG as the lead partner on the Catapult-funded project, A Circular Economy Approach for Recycling Electric Motors in End-of-the-Life Vehicles (鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�婻ECYCEM).

1. Manual Deconstruction for Digital Insight: WMG's initial work involved the careful manual disassembly of a typical (EM)鈥� 鈥媐rom an EoL EV. This hands-on process allowed the WMG team to capture crucial, real-world data on the component architecture, material connections and sequence steps required for component separation.
   
2. Digital Disassembly Mapping: This physical knowledge-based process was translated into a comprehensive digital disassembly map by the AMRC using its experience in automated teardowns. This map identifies the least disruptive sequence to recover key materials, focusing on techniques that avoid damaging components, which is a vital pre-requisite for high-value remanufacturing, reuse and recycling pathways.
   
3. Simulation and Roadmap for Automation: WMG and the AMRC then utilised this map to develop a sophisticated simulation and automated process. This showcased how robotics could be programmed to execute the disassembly process, particularly demanding and challenging steps such as the separation of rotor-core which contained PMs, from the stator. This critical digital work was completed in an intensive one-month turnaround. More importantly, it demonstrated that automation when supported by the process sequence and custom tooling, can drastically reduce disassembly timeframe from hours to minutes while preserving component integrity.

As a result of this collaboration, 鈥媡he 鈥婣MRC was able to apply WMG's expertise in e-machines, materials science and disassembly to find a way to automate the processing of EoL e-machines for recycling and remanufacturing, thereby pushing the technology towards application in real-world scenarios.

Impact

This foundational project has delivered a crucial step towards establishing CE pathways for EoL EV powertrain components in the UK, creating a blueprint for the future of automated EoL processing.

• Innovating Automation: Successfully created the first-stage digital blueprint (simulation and roadmap) for automated, minimally disruptive disassembly of EoL e-machines for high-value components and materials recovery.
• Decarbonising the Supply Chain: Developed a strategy to onshore high-value recycling in the UK, removing the need to ship e-machines overseas for manual and time-consuming disassembly and creating a secure, lower-carbon domestic material supply.
• Enabling Circularity: Provided a clear methodology for retrieving high-value materials that can be fed directly back into secondary recycling processes, and in turn, 鈥媡he wider 鈥婾K manufacturing industry, thereby enhancing resource security and supply chain resilience.

鈥淭his project is a great example of how WMG is developing and demonstrating its capabilities in EoL processing and disassembly of complex, high-value systems such as electric drive units (EDUs). Thanks to the existing Catapult network it was straightforward for this project to access the complementary skills and expertise needed for success. By tackling the technical barriers around safe disassembly, component recovery, and material separation, we鈥檙e not only enabling EDUs to become part of an alternative supply chain, but we鈥檙e also helping industry maximise resource efficiency and build resilience here in the UK. It鈥檚 a step forward in making CE principles a practical reality, particularly for critical materials and other high value components.鈥�

鈥� Dr Ah-SamirHamidi, Project Engineer (Net-Zero: Industrial Sustainability)

鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�淎ligning with the AMRC鈥檚 commitment to 鈥嬧�媋ccelerating鈥嬧�� manufacturing sustainability, we were keen to 鈥嬧�媠olve the鈥嬧�� barriers of disassembling an electric motor. 鈥嬧�嬧��

鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�婽he massive magnetic forces involved to manually remove a rotor can be challenging and potentially dangerous. A鈥嬧�媎dressing this challenge 鈥嬧�媟equired鈥嬧�� a novel approach; 鈥嬧�媡he AMRC developed a 3D simulation 鈥嬧�媍ombining鈥嬧�� industrial robotics with a hydraulic press to prove that we can overcome these physical constraints safely and efficiently.鈥嬧�嬧��

鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�婽he collaboration between WMG and AMRC and the output of this project have shown how the UK can transform EoL processing from a laborious task into a high-value, scalable industrial reality. This creates a repeatable, safe and precise way to recover critical materials so they can be fed straight back into the UK supply chain 鈥� a vital piece of鈥嬧�� the puzzle for a truly CE.鈥濃�嬧�嬧��

鈥� 鈥嬧�婨jae Perez, Senior Theme Lead for Automated Assembly鈥�,鈥� 鈥婾niversity of Sheffield 鈥婣MRC鈥�