The automotive sector accounts for around 14 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and requires large quantities of raw materials. Consequently, the circular economy is becoming increasingly important in reducing resource consumption, waste and scrap. Aluminium is particularly relevant: the European automotive industry uses around two million tonnes annually – three times more than any other sector. Owing to its strategic importance, aluminium has now been included in the EU’s list of critical raw materials.
Against this backdrop, Paderborn University has launched the ‘Digi4Circular’ project. The aim is to develop a digital platform that provides data across the entire product life cycle and supports the circular economy. Life-cycle data is to be used for automated component generation and subsequently documented in a digital product passport. To this end, artificial intelligence (AI), automated component design and computer-based materials science, amongst other technologies, are being integrated. The aim is to minimise material waste, use resources more efficiently and increase the proportion of recycled aluminium. “Digi4Circular” is receiving €5.7 million in funding from the European Union over a period of three and a half years.
From 27 to 28 May this year, the Digi4Circular consortium presented the results of the first project phase to representatives of the European Commission in Brussels. At the heart of this is our “Product Creation” workgroup led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Iris Gräßler, which is seeking solutions to two challenges: Reducing the burden on companies involved in the extremely laborious task of dealing with regulations, so that unstructured documentation – for example, regarding experience with the use of recycled materials – can be efficiently analysed. To this end, the team presented initial AI-supported methods for extracting explicit knowledge from technical documents and implicit knowledge from expert interviews. It also outlined concepts for a knowledge management system that will enable the automated analysis of this knowledge within the Digi4Circular data and information space. The Digi4Circular reference process model that was developed was particularly well received: it describes the process underpinning the platform, defines interfaces between the project deliverables and forms the basis for the forthcoming implementation phase.
The successful review meeting confirms the project’s direction to date. In the next phase, the results of the individual work packages are to be more closely interlinked and translated into joint solutions. A key focus is on the interfaces between different knowledge sources and knowledge management. To this end, datasets, specialist domains and information structures will be analysed and linked together. Ontologies and semantic concepts will structure knowledge and make it usable across domains – ultimately enabling the semi-automated development of aluminium components with a high proportion of recycled material. This will create a robust foundation for the further implementation and integration of the project results.
