Fraunhofer Flagship Project "ORCHESTER"

Motivation

Given limited resources, increasing material demands, volatile supply situations, and growing climate burdens, it is essential to make value chains more sustainable and ensure supply security. The “ORCHESTER” project aims to develop digital technologies that enable sustainable and resilient material supply. Through innovative approaches, material selection is optimized, leading to a direct benefit for the industry and representing an important step towards a future-proof material supply.

Project goals

• Creation of a digital ecosystem: This knowledge base aims to improve decision-making in materials management by integrating and analyzing extensive data.
• Optimization of material development: High-throughput screening technologies enable the rapid identification of suitable materials. These technologies help efficiently develop alternative materials and alloys to increase the speed of innovation in the industry.
• Increase in recycling rate: By developing sustainable recycling strategies, such as increasing the recycling rate, raw material consumption can be reduced, while advancing the circular economy.

Digital ecosystem

A central component of “ORCHESTER” is the digital ecosystem, which allows for the integration and analysis of extensive data along the value chain. It supports the digital transformation of companies by:

• linking information from various, heterogeneous data sources (experiments, simulations, external databases, literature)
• hosting tools (digital products) to support decision-making and derive recommendations for action
• fostering collaboration between research and industry

High-throughput screening

High-throughput screening is an innovative method that allows for the rapid testing and characterization of large quantities of materials. Through automated experiments and digital analyses, the properties of materials can be determined in a very short time. This technology is crucial for the efficient development of new materials, as it accelerates the identification of optimal alloys and their properties. Within the framework of “ORCHESTER”, high-throughput screening is used to discover alternative materials and improve the recyclability of existing materials, ultimately contributing to more sustainable resource utilization.

Demonstrators
The “ORCHESTER” project includes three demonstrators aimed at sustainably addressing challenges in material supply and recycling:

1. Bipolar plates for fuel cells
The focus of this demonstrator is the development of bipolar plates, which are essential for fuel cells. The goal is to reduce the nickel content in the materials used while maintaining functionality and mechanical properties. By using thermodynamic simulations, we analyze the phase stability and mechanical properties of the new alloys. High-throughput screening enables us to quickly develop new materials and validate their suitability for use in fuel cells.

2. Aluminum alloys
This demonstrator focuses on maximizing the rate of secondary materials in aluminum alloys to minimize energy consumption during production. We investigate the effects of foreign atoms, such as iron and copper, on the mechanical properties of the alloys. Through thermodynamic simulations and the development of efficient recycling routes, we ensure that the recycled materials are of the highest quality and meet industry requirements.

3. Recycling of permanent magnets
In this demonstrator, we use advanced simulation models and machine learning to optimize recycling processes for permanent magnets. This enables us to predict the magnetic properties of NdFeB magnets, even in the presence of impurities. Additionally, we employ innovative sensor technologies, such as Eddy Current impedance analysis, to identify and separate existing materials.