FlexCycle: turning thermoplastic composite waste into functional products, on-site
What if we could turn fiber reinforced plastics (thermoplastic composites) waste directly into functional products, right where the waste is generated? That is the driving question behind FlexCycle – a collaborative project developing flexible and compact recycling solutions for thermoplastic composites (TPCs).
According to the European Parliament, EU citizens generated an average of 36 kg of plastic packaging waste per person in 2021. Only a fraction of this is recycled. One major hurdle is that plastic processors require consistent, large-scale input, while waste streams are highly variable. Recycling composites is even more difficult due to the presence of reinforcing fibers.
A flexible, local recycling line
The FlexCycle project aims to solve this by combining shredding, compounding and extrusion-based 3D printing into one process chain. The result is a flexible production line that can process thermoplastic composite waste into functional products, right on-site.
Two circular use cases
Battery casings from recycled plastic
FlexCycle begins by recovering plastics from dismantled battery packs used in mobility applications. These are granulated and compounded, sometimes with additional fillers like glass fibers, to retain or enhance performance. The material is then used in direct granulate 3D printing to create custom-fit casings for second-life batteries – a true cradle-to-cradle application.
Wind turbine blade bridges
Decommissioned wind turbine blades still possess high mechanical strength. In this use case, the blades are repurposed as structural elements in bridges. FlexCycle technology is used to 3D-print custom components that link the curved blade shapes – enabling a robust, future-proof bridge structure from upcycled materials.
Project scope and consortium
The project is based at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in South Limburg and is co-funded by the European Union through the Just Transition Fund (JTF). The project coordination is led by TNO-Brightlands Materials Center. The partners CHILL and eModum B.V. will develop an integrated recycling line that combines shredding, compounding, and Fused Granulate Fabrication 3D printing (FGF 3D-printing) to locally turn thermoplastic composite waste into new, functional products.
This technology is demonstrated by two partners through two practical applications: Novocycle Technologies B.V. will recycle battery casings and Poly Products B.V. will develop structural parts for a wind turbine blade bridge.
In addition to its technical goals, the project involves at least twelve students and creates eight new jobs at CHILL and eModum.
How can we help you?
Brightlands Materials Center is located at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen. Here Industry, research Institutes and Universities meet to shape our future.