ARTES - Automated Remanufacturing Towards Environmental Sustainability

再制造是英国实现净零排放的关键资源效率推动者，到2050年每年可减少900万吨二氧化碳当量。它可以保留组件的价值，延长使用寿命，防止浪费和减少新材料的投入。但这一过程在第一个障碍——组件拆卸上就停滞不前了。被扣押的紧固件导致潜在再制造部件的报废率高达30%，目前的清除方法无法满足再制造商所要求的速度和精度。由于严重损坏的可能性很高，并且即使是自动化的，也需要大量的后处理，因此机械钻取被卡住的紧固件是粗糙且不经济的。通过重新设计电火花加工（EDM）工艺，ARTES将提供一种全新的紧固件去除方法，在提高生产率的同时最大限度地减少废料。与钻井不同，电火花钻井的损坏率极低，因为该过程无接触且在室温下进行。Scintam开发了一种突破性的手持式电火花加工紧固件拆卸工具。ARTES以该技术为基础，将Scintam的现有技术与机器自动化相结合，提供颠覆性的新能力，使对环境有影响的再制造得到广泛采用。这项新技术允许在最短的安装时间内，快速、可重复、安全地进行无人值守的部件再制造。ARTES的主要目标是一级汽车再制造商；最初，再制造将集中在当今乘用车上最常见的机械部件上。随着电动汽车（EV）再制造（电池组、大功率电动机、热泵）的成熟，高价值部件的适用性有望显著提高。按照预计的销量，到2028年，通过防止原材料浪费和对新材料投入的需求，ARTES有可能为汽车行业节省8400万英镑，减少197,000吨二氧化碳排放量。增加再制造，取代对长期全球供应链的持续过度依赖，将巩固可持续性收益，并提高英国对日益严重的全球供应链中断和波动的抵御能力。

Remanufacturing is a key resource-efficiency enabler towards UK Net-Zero, saving 9MtCO2e/year by 2050\. It can retain component value, extend functional lifetime, prevent waste and reduce new material inputs. But the process falters at the first barrier -- component disassembly. Seized fasteners result in scrap of potentially remanufactured components at rates of up to 30% and current removal methods cannot meet the speed and accuracy demanded by remanufacturers. Mechanical drilling out of seized fasteners is crude and uneconomical due to the high probability of critical damage and extensive post-processing required, even when automated.By reimagining the electro-discharge machining (EDM) process, ARTES will provide an entirely new method of fastener removal that minimises scrap whilst increasing productivity. Unlike drilling, the damage rates using electro-discharge drilling are extremely low, because the process is contact free and performed at room temperature.Scintam has developed a breakthrough hand-held EDM fastener-removal tool. ARTES builds on this technology, combining Scintam's established technology with machine automation to deliver disruptive new capability that enables widespread adoption of environmentally impactful remanufacturing. This new technology allows unattended remanufacturing of components, swiftly, repeatably, and safely, with minimal setup time.The primary target for ARTES is Tier-1 automotive remanufacturers; initially, remanufacturing will focus on mechanical parts most frequently found on today's automotive passenger vehicles. Significant boost in applicability to high-value components is expected as electric vehicle (EV) remanufacturing matures (battery packs, high-power electric motors, heat pumps).At projected sales volumes, ARTES potentially provides automotive-industry savings of £84Mn and reduction of 197,000 tons-CO2e emissions by 2028 through preventing raw material waste and the need for new material input. Increasing remanufacturing in-lieu of continued over-reliance on long-range global supply chains will consolidate sustainability gains and increase the UK's resilience to rising global supply-chain disruptions and volatility.