The aim of MIMOSA Project is the development of joined multi-material structures with new concepts able to exploit the digital and hybrid processes in order to achieve higher technological and economic performances with respect to current traditional joints. Furthermore, MIMOSA will lead to the application of circularity of materials and production by integrating the recycling, starting from the ideation phase of product and business. These ambitions and associated needs will be achieved with innovative technology and competitive process for multi-material joints between AlSi10Mg alloy for additive manufacturing (AM) and composites (CFRP, carbon fiber-reinforced polymers). The project proposes new joint concept design, after-service materials regeneration (50% of metals and 90% of CFRP), weight (-51%) and lead time (-65%) reduction and overall process environmental footprint reduction. A prototype of vertical stabilizer (VS) structure will be fabricated and analyzed as the business case of the Project. At the end of the Project, TRL6 is expected by starting at TRL3. Many aerostructures are composed of CFRP skin and metal parts coupled by rivets. However this kind of joint shows some drawbacks: (1) long time for assembling, (2) loss of fibers integrity due to rivet holes, (3) rivets payload, (4) joint surfaces treatment with paints needed, (5) rivets failure issues, (6) hard inspection and maintenance of rivets. MIMOSA Project will go beyond the state of the art in building aircraft structures by providing: (1) scientific research-driven integration of different design fields and fabrication processes, (2) new AM-CFRP multi-material joint concept, (3) reduced waste of materials thanks to recycling and associated economic value generation, (4) enhancement of process performances of energy consumption, lead-time and cost, (5) fabrication of a vertical stabilizer prototype (OB4) for narrow body airliners with the new AM-CFRP joint as business case.

Plastics bring unprecedented value in terms of convenience, versatility of design and lightweight to European consumers as well as increasingly advanced performances even in high end applications. But only 31% of plastic packaging are currently recycled due to infra-developed technologies or to their unsatisfactory economic viability. This is in fact aggravated by considering plastics as commodity where their economic value is linked to a single use, often not taking into account the potentially generated end of life hurdles. In line with the just released Plastic Strategy for Europe, the time has come to stop the depletion, landfilling and incineration and shift to a Circular Model in the plastic sector improving the recycling rate but also the value of secondary raw materials from plastic recycling. As such, with an overarching mission to maximise the valorisation of our finite plastic resources, based on the CreaSolv® process (CreaSolv® is a registered trademark of CreaCycle GmbH) patented by the partner FRAUNHOFER, which will be upscaled and digitased, MultiCycle will deliver an industrial recycling pilot plant for thermoplastic-based multi-materials. This is a solvent based selective extraction process which allows recovering pure plastics in mixed wastes but also fibres without downgrading. The later compounding of recovered materials will also be optimised in terms of process and formulation. Our economically and environmentally sustainable MultiCycle process will be demonstrated in 2 main large volume sectors (as providers of waste to recycle and end users of the recycled materials): -Multilayer packaging but also flexible films that cannot be recycled cost effectively to date and altogether account for around 50% of plastic packaging, i.e. ca. 10 millions tons/year in EU. -Fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites for the automotive sector from which plastics constitute around 16% of End-of-Life Vehicles weigth, i.e. ca. 1 million tons/year in EU.

ECOBULK through a large scale demonstration effort will contribute to “closing the loop” of composite products in the automotive, furniture and building sectors by promoting greater re-use, upgrade, refurbishment and recycle of products, parts, and materials. It will bring opportunities for both the environment and the economy by offering business opportunities along the entire new defined supply and value chains. ECOBULK approach will be based on identifying and promoting commonalities in processes, technologies, products and services ensuring replicability and transferability to other industrial sectors. The ambitious application of the circular economy model in the three selected sectors is justified by the high numbers of synergies, in terms of the design (design for modularity, design for disassembly/dismantling), materials (fibre and particle reinforced plastic composites), manufacturing technology (moulding, extrusion, hot pressing, thermobonding) and business models (leasing, renting, PSS, fix-it shops, etc.). The methodology will embrace and focus on large scale demonstration activities in 7 countries and more than 15 demonstrators to address the key components of the circular economy solutions; rethinking product design to shift towards a Design Circular Framework, validation of material and product manufacturing technologies to ensure technical and economic feasibility, new reverse logistics for the recovery of products and parts from consumers or users and into the supply chain, implementation of Innovative business models exploring C2C, B2C and B2B opportunities, and dissemination to raise awareness and knowledge sharing activities on circular economy solutions. Finally, an end-user and Stakeholder platform linking end users with relevant actors from the early design stages will foster second life, reuse and recycle of product and parts as well as material recovery for reintroduction into a circular production chain.