SERA

Technological support for the transformation of recycled thermoplastic material

  • R&D project under the AEI programme (Innovative Business Clusters), 2022 call.
  • This project consists of an expert artificial intelligence system designed to automatically adjust injection parameters (temperature, pressure, speed, etc.) based on the properties of the recycled material, specifically tailored for the automotive sector.

Project execution period: 27/02/2022 to 29/04/2023

 

Results

  • Linear relationships were identified between filler content/density and tensile/flexural moduli, and between injection temperature/speed and mechanical properties.

  • Specific parameter recommendations were found based on material melt flow rate and part size.

  • It was observed that the fiber feed position in the extruder can alter the fiber length in the final pellet by up to 20%.

  • In non-reinforced matrices, switching to recycled PP can reduce carbon footprint by more than 40%.

  • Batch-to-batch variability was minimal in terms of processability and mechanical properties.

Conclusion

The SERA project successfully developed:

  • An AI-based tool capable of automatically optimizing injection parameters based on the characteristics of the recycled material.

  • A sensor system and database to support this approach.

  • Technical and training standardization to facilitate industrial adoption, with real impact on carbon footprint reduction and improved processing reliability.