GEAR-UP – Green Engineering, Analysis, & Reskilling for Unbounded Production

EU-Project / Project start /

The integration of recycled materials continues to pose challenges for the manufacturing industry. The quality of products made from recycled materials significantly depends on the composition of the materials used and the manufacturing processes employed. Variations in trace elements in metal alloys and chemical properties of recycled plastics can significantly influence additive manufacturing processes, such as 3D printing. Simulation models offer a promising solution by optimizing the manufacturing process based on material data, thereby improving the longevity and recyclability of products.

The GEAR-UP project aims to develop digital tools that facilitate the use of recycled materials in the metal and plastics processing industries. Simulation-based approaches enable the development of new, resource-efficient manufacturing processes that integrate recycled materials while maintaining product quality. In this context, modern AI methods analyze the material properties of recycled materials and adaptively control the manufacturing process. In addition, the Digital Product Passport will be implemented, which ensures the transparent traceability of materials used. Environmental impacts are already considered in the manufacturing process to ensure the reusability of materials.

Fraunhofer SCAI coordinates the standardization of data formats, interfaces, and semantic information concepts. The VMAP standard plays a crucial role in processing simulation data, while the MpCCI Manufacturing Ontology is used to develop semantic concepts for the Digital Product Passport.

The GEAR-UP project is funded for four years by the European Commission und the Horizon Europe program (Grant Agreement No: 101178484).

Project partners

  • SINTEF Manufacturing AS
  • Aerobase Innovations AB
  • FlowPhys AS
  • Fundació Eurecat
  • CelluCircle
  • COLFEED4Print, S.L.
  • Fraunhofer SCAI
  • Technovative Solutions LTD
  • Welding Alloys France SAS
  • EIT Manufacturing South SRL
  • Aker Solutions Hydropower AS
  • 3D Production AS

Project duration: 10/2024 until 09/2028