A new multi-centre research effort led by Aimplas kicked off this month. Called the Sparta project, the main goal is to find a new method of recycling and reprocessing composite thermoplastic materials that reduces the amount of waste generated by the aerospace industry, as well as its environmental impact. Another goal is to design more eco-efficient manufacturing methods. Collaborating on the project is Techniker, who will contribute its knowledge and experience in mechanical cutting to the development and optimisation of an innovative mechanical scrapping process, through simulation and experimentation.
The focus at Aimplast will be on improving material reprocessing through automatic deposition and compression moulding. The result will be new, high-quality composite thermoplastic products manufactured with recycled materials at a production cost 15 to 20% lower than current mechanical recycling and scrap reprocessing procedures due to a reduction in the number of operations and automation of manufacturing processes. Aimplast will also be in charge of analysing the properties of the final product, as well as preparing a guide with eco-design recommendations for industrial scale-up of the process.
The project began this month and will end in October 2022. It has received funding from the EU Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 within the framework of the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative under grant agreement number 887073. This project is in line with SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production, SDG 13 on climate action, and SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure.