Circular economy for the future – new funding phase launched

Circular economy for the future –  
Wolfsburg research campus OHLF starts new funding phase in March

The Open Hybrid LabFactory (OHLF) in Wolfsburg has reached a significant milestone: At the beginning of March, the research campus, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), entered its third funding period. At the OHLF, Volkswagen, the Technical University of Braunschweig, the Fraunhofer Society, Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, and 35 other partners pool their expertise under one roof. This unique collaboration will develop innovative projects aimed at establishing practical and efficient solutions for a sustainable circular economy in the automotive industry. The focus is on developing new technologies that conserve resources, optimize recycling processes, and improve the reuse of materials. Following a careful review of the research and future strategy by a high-profile jury of experts, the OHLF received funding of ten million euros from the BMBF over a period of five years.

The use of the funds is tied to three significant funding phase projects and is part of the “Research Campus – Public-Private Partnership for Innovations” initiative, which was launched in 2011. The aim of this initiative is to promote innovative research at the interface between science and industry in a shared infrastructure. In addition to the OHLF, there are eight other such special research institutions in Germany.

The continuation of the funding is a great acknowledgement of the outstanding work that has been accomplished at the OHLF in recent years. It enables us to strategically develop the research campus and provide new impetus for the mobility of the future,” explains Prof. Dr. Klaus Dilger, Chairman of the Board of the OHLF eV.

Three new funding phase projects on the circular economy

Project “SaReSa” 

Researchers are developing methods and technologies that enable the efficient and sustainable recycling of end-of-life products, such as end-of-life vehicles. The material composition is automatically identified, and the potential for further use or reuse is determined in parallel. Using digital, intelligent dismantling planning, industrial robots can then respond quickly and individually to the respective end-of-life product and its condition. A multitude of valuable materials can thus be recovered from an end-of-life vehicle during dismantling. The intelligent dismantling process used ensures the original quality and purity of the materials. In the project, the researchers are focusing on digital methods and tools to support dismantling planning and its ecological and economic efficiency. 

Project “CirProTech” 

The main goal of the project is the technological development and implementation of sustainable, closed-loop reuse processes for plastic components and carbon fiber reinforced materials (CFRP). The researchers are focusing on two use cases: the recycling of plastics for the construction of new automotive components and the recycling of CFRP structures for use in aerospace. One of the greatest challenges is the availability of sufficient quantities of high-quality, recycled material, as these materials are often fused, bonded, or pressed with other materials during the manufacturing process, making pure separation usually impossible. The new processes examine every step, from material analysis, sorting, and processing to reprocessing. By switching to production processes in which materials can be reused, fewer raw materials such as carbon or petroleum, as well as energy, will be consumed in the future. What is currently considered industrial waste, can be recycled in the future. In this way, companies can improve their ecological balance sheets in the long term and take advantage of new economic opportunities for sustainability.

Project “conCErt” 

This project develops a best-practice model for collaboration and knowledge exchange within public-private partnerships for the circular economy. The OHLF is organized according to such a model and provides a realistic framework for practical research and application of the results. Topics such as meetings, diversity, the advancement of women, and leadership development also play an important role. The insights gained will help researchers develop measures and guidelines that make collaboration in public-private partnerships more effective. All developed measures will be reviewed from an occupational and organizational psychology perspective and made available to regional and supra-regional networks at the end of the project.

Source

Open Hybrid LabFactory, press release, 2025-03-08.

Supplier

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Fraunhofer-Zentrum Circular Economy für Mobilität CCEM
OHLF Open Hybrid LabFactory e.V. (BMBF)
Ostfalia Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften
Technische Universität Braunschweig
Volkswagen AG

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