Automated Battery Upcycling Solution for a Sustainable Future

01 Story

The battery recycling industry has traditionally faced significant inefficiencies, with many current processes failing to recover valuable components from end-of-life batteries. Despite the rising demand for sustainable solutions, most recycling methods still resort to shredding batteries, leading to the loss of reusable materials. This inefficiency is especially problematic given the rapid growth of battery-dependent industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), power tools, and renewable energy storage systems.

Circu Li-ion is at the forefront of addressing these challenges. Funded by Dr. Xavier Kohll and Antoine Welter in late 2020, the company developed an automated battery upcycling solution designed to enhance the recycling process. By enabling the economical reuse of battery parts and creating clean recycling streams, Circu Li-ion aims to revolutionize the battery recycling industry and provide a better future for all.

02 Challenges

Circu Li-ion faced several technical challenges due to the lack of standardization in battery pack assembly across different OEMs. Variations in fixings, lids, cables, busbars, and module dimensions required the development of highly adaptable robotics capable of navigating obstructed spaces. The vision systems also had to be versatile enough to detect and differentiate materials within varied battery packs accurately.

The disassembly process involves handling various components such as screws, nuts, battery modules, cables, and connectors. Each type of component presents unique challenges:

• Screws and nuts: Typically easier to detect and pick using specialized unscrewing devices and grippers.
• Lids: Complicated by the presence of sealing glue, requiring additional removal steps.
• Battery modules: Require various picking techniques depending on internal assembly and adhesives used.

The system needed to achieve sub-millimeter resolution for precise component detection and manipulation. Speed was also critical to optimizing cycle times, as the system needed to adjust focus quickly between broad images and detailed close-ups. The integration of color detection and 3D scanning was essential for identifying contaminants and positioning objects accurately.

03 Solution

Circu Li-ion’s automated solution is designed to serve a diverse range of industries: OEMs, recyclers, automotive suppliers, and battery component manufacturers. The solution aids in upcycling production scrap and repurposing end-of-life batteries for second-life applications.

The system is designed around a Battery Carrier System that transports the battery. The robot, supported by the vision system and proprietary software, uses specialized tools to perform disassembly tasks such as screw removal, lid picking, and module extraction. The system’s modular design allows it to handle a wide range of battery types and assemblies.

The vision system is powered by Zivid 2+ M60, a very high-resolution 3D camera. Zivid 3D’s resolution and dimensional trueness enable precise robot positioning, which is crucial for the disassembly process. This camera also offers calibration stability, ensuring the system maintains precision over time and enhancing the reliability of disassembly steps. Designed to withstand heavy-duty operations, the Zivid camera performs reliably in demanding environments.

Zivid’s coherent pixel-wise data, combining 3D, 2D, color, and normals, is pivotal. It allows seamless projection of RGB-based 2D object detections and segmentation masks into 3D, enhancing object shape and pose estimation. This feature is invaluable for developing and refining Circu Li-ion’s vision systems.

The Zivid SDK proved exceptionally user-friendly, facilitating quick integration with the software automation platform. This ease of use significantly reduced development time, allowing Circu Li-ion to focus on enhancing their system’s capabilities.

04 Results

Circu Li-ion's upcycling process can reduce CO² emissions by 48%. Companies can participate in the circular economy and increase the true value of each battery they use at the same time. The performance of the application has demonstrated significant improvements in cycle time, component accuracy, and overall efficiency in battery disassembly.

Circu Li-ion’s high standards have delighted some of the world’s largest OEMs and recyclers. Customers are enthusiastic about transitioning manual, hazardous battery disassembly work to automated systems, which enhance safety and scalability.

Currently, the company focuses on the EU market, collaborating with various European customers to enhance their battery upcycling and recycling processes. Their scalable Machine as a Service (MaaS) model is also poised for global deployment, with discussions underway for expansion to the US and beyond.

The solution is broadening beyond batteries, exploring urban mining, and recycling diverse materials. The goal is to streamline processes, maximize material recovery, and reduce the manual labor required in disassembly, supporting sustainable material recovery in Europe and globally.