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MaXycle is a transnational collaborative research and innovation project, funded from the ERA-NET Cofund on Raw Materials (ERA-MIN 2) instrument under Horizon 2020. The project is presented under the topic: Processing, Production and Remanufacturing.

MaXycle is developing and validating a systematic approach to overcome the barriers currently hindering a successful circular economy for NdFeB-type magnets on an industrial scale. It will provide the tools to identify different quality grades of NdFeB EOLM and provide the most suitable methods to upgrade their properties with respect to costs and sustainability for large scale reprocessing .

The project will create a new circular economy around the sustainable supply and (re)use of precious raw materials, with the aim to recycle 15% of all the magnets produced by 2025 and will create eco-innovations, boosting competitiveness and job creation in the EU.

Partners

The project research teams all have unique, but complementary, expertise in the areas necessary for the success of the project, forming a well-balanced consortium where all the partners will contribute and benefit. The consortium consists of partners from European academia, research institutes and industry, bringing together expertise in magnetic research, production and environment and economic impact. WP1 and WP7 will be equally distributed between partners, which could not be presented with PM in the WP, because of the limitations of the online system.

Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI) has many years of experience in the field of permanent magnets based on Rare-Earth and transition metals. It was involved in FP5, FP6, and FP7 European projects. JSI is fully equipped for the preparation and characterisation of all kinds of magnetic materials, being a member of Center for Electron Microscopy with the highly skilled experts in the field. JSI will be managing the project, develop coating removal techniques, SPS magnets, help with the classification system and do most of the microsturctural and magnetic analysis.

OBE Ohnmacht & Baumgärtner GmbH & Co. KG (OBE) is active in the areas of R&D, production of high precision metal components for a wide range of automotive, medical, aerospace and industrial applications. OBE has very well-equipped laboratories for performing work in metal injection moulding, 3D printing of green parts, mechanical and metallurgical analysis, equipment for characterisation of precision parts as well as a tool shop for injection moulding tools. As coordinator of the H2020 project REProMag, OBE has excellent expertise in the manufacturing of NdFeB type magnets via the SDS process. OBE will take over the task of press sintering, polymer bonding and SDS processing and help with test trials and analyses in other tasks.

The University of Applied Sciences Pforzheim (HSPF) is active in materials analyses and failure analyses of components for the precision industry, the development and characterisation of materials, coatings and manufacturing technologies and equipped with a state-of-the art metallographical lab, incl. SEM, XRD, optical microscopy, mechanical testing equipment and heat treatment facilities. A newly equipped lab for hydrogen processing is perfectly equipped for the HPMS of the scrap magnets and the investigation of different recyclate grades with a staff having 30+ years’ experience in NdFeB-type materials. Additionally, it is well equipped with several laser machines for marking. HSPF will be the main task leader in WP2 and WP3 with help from other partners. Additionaly they will provide their expertise in other WP.

Magneti d.d. (MGI) is a manufacturer of Al-Ni-Co, Sm-Co and Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets. Magneti’s products are used mostly in the automotive industry with customers like Continental, Bosch and Wabco. Magneti has a strong and well experienced research group makingcontinuous research and development on the material-quality as well as technology improvements. The company is also equipped with different measuring and analysing techniques; XRF, ICP-OS, Oxygen and Carbon content analysers, Particle size distribution analyser, FSSS, permagraphs, flux meters and 3D magnetic field mapper. Magnetis main taks will be providing the feedstock for the different production techniques. They will also help with their experies in other tasks.

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) is an independent, non-profit organisation, owned by a foundation jointly established by the Swedish Government and Swedish industry. IVL works with applied research and contract assignments for an ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable growth within the business world and society at large. IVL has a broad and long experience of performing Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) on products and processes. IVL will be task leader in the LCA and LCC evaluation of the project, with the help of all other partners.

News

Final Meeting MaXycle, Goriška Brda, Slovenia, 20.-22.06.2021

AGENDA_final The final MaXycle meeting was held in Slovenia, Goriška Brda, on 20.-22. June 2021 and was organized by the coordinator, Jožef Stefan Institute (Agenda). All partners were presented except for the supporting partner, the University of Birmingham. The members of the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, IVL, were connected online through Teams. The REIA Secretary-General, …