From urban mining to advanced industrial components

Research in materials science and engineering, driven by critical needs in manufacturing technologies, has pushed the study of new powder processes like Additive Manufacturing (AM) for high-tech industrial sectors as aerospace and automotive. Prices of manufacturing products are linked to two main parameters: manufacturing techniques and raw material that is heavily depending from outside EU markets and is not inexhaustible. This project provide a solution for economic and environmental issues through the development and the exploitation of new metallic powders sourcing from urban mining residues. In a world where the average aluminium demand grows 5-7% annually in high-tech industrial sectors, the expected results of the project are: 95% of energy saved and 9800kg CO2 and 64Kg SO2 reduced emissions utilizing the Al scrap route, improved melting treatment, new Al alloy design with 10-20% higher mechanical properties compared to commercial products usable as raw material of the proposed improved AM, or as deoxidized-killed steel agent or as conductive filler in thermosets products or as pressure mold for foam injection of automotive and packaging market.