According to statistical surveys by the European Union, every German produces no less than around twelve kilograms of electrical and electronic waste every year. But how can we succeed in making the difficult transition from our current throwaway society to a circular economy with sustainable production processes? Prof. Dr. Nicole Stricker from Aalen University of Applied Sciences has dedicated herself to this goal. Her research activities have recently been supported by the EXPLOR program of the Abtsgmünder Stiftung Kessler + Co. für Bildung und Kultur.

Old problems on the way to new recycling methods

Professor Stricker's concept aims to ensure that a product that is no longer needed does not end up in the trash, but returns to its place of production, where it is processed into a new product using the latest technology. For a smartphone, this would mean that after the refurbishment, it would be equivalent to the latest product generation. "But first, each product must be disassembled. That sounds simple, but it's not," says Stricker. Rusted, broken, dead battery or water damage – each product has different signs of wear. "Therefore, there are many challenges in production planning and control, which arise from many uncertainties: When will which product come back? What condition will it be in?" explains Stricker, who has been teaching industrial engineering at Aalen University for almost three years.

Boost through project funding

With the support of the EXPLOR program of the Abtsgmünder Foundation Kessler + Co. for Education and Culture, Stricker wants to advance her research on concepts for sustainable production on an industrial scale. "The pivotal point is the disassembly and subsequent reprocessing of used products into new products. The vision is to create a new product all the time." However, because the previous methods of production planning and control cannot be applied in this context, Stricker and her team want to develop new methods in which artificial intelligence also plays a major role. The 38-year-old is very pleased that she is now being supported by EXPLOR in this forward-looking project: "The funding program is an incredibly great instrument that helps to further develop topics. It offers a great opportunity to prove your expertise, which in turn is a prerequisite for acquiring further research projects."

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