Development of hybrid production technology based on Industry 4.0 with value-added use of domestically sourced recycled raw materials

Project summary

The project aims to develop and domestically manufacture specialized wheels made from recyclable materials that can be produced in large series. The primary requirements for these wheels are that they should be suitable for high static loads and operate at low speeds in various applications. The main focus of the development includes maximizing cost-effective production in large quantities and enhancing sustainability aspects in terms of the materials used. This entails significant manufacturing technology, material development, and data processing tasks to produce high-quality products using recycled materials. The hybrid, two-component wheel consists of a rim made from injection-molded thermoplastic and a tire that exhibits a more flexible, rubber-like behavior. The tire will be made from recycled rubber waste. The rim will be produced using recycled thermoplastic materials and recycled materials generated within the domestic industry, which can serve as filler and reinforcement materials. In both cases, the primary goal is to utilize materials readily available in large quantities that have not been effectively recycled until now. The used and discarded vehicle tires will be the raw material source for the tire component. This requires further development of tire recycling technology to produce a high volume of high-quality recyclates, which can be used to manufacture the planned wheel tires. One of the prerequisites is the proper shredding of tire rubber; the other is devulcanization, which involves reprocessing waste rubber into a flexible state. The next step in the technology is reshaping, where the tire acquires the typical elastic, long-lasting behavior of rubber. Industrial-level development of these processes is necessary since the Department of Polymer Engineering at BME has a labvalidated technology (TRL4) is already available. The quality of recycled materials is currently uncontrolled, and their mechanical and rheological properties vary widely. Unfortunately, this variation also affects the quality of the products during manufacturing. Industry 4.0 tools are required in production to ensure quality, enabling us to analyze production characteristics, predict changes, and immediately improve production stability and product quality. Implementing Industry 4.0 and data analysis solutions developed by Óbuda University is an essential goal of the consortium, as it can be used for other products by Vertikal Zrt. that require recycled materials. At the end of the project, the assembly method for the tires and rim will be developed. Finally, the overall applicability of the wheel will be examined, and comprehensive validation will occur. The ultimate goal by the end of the project is to develop an entirely domestically manufactured wheel, produced in large series cost-effectively, using domestically sourced recycled materials, and implementing an associated Industry 4.0 system.

Project results