The French aluminium group Constellium believes that LIBS sorting technology can make a significant contribution to improving the recycling of aluminium from the automotive sector. Together with the German company OSR Metallrecycling and an unnamed European premium car producer, Constellium wants to advance the use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) on an industrial scale, seeing in the technology potential to improve sorting not only of production scrap but also of scrap derived from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).
The proper segregation of alloy families to maintain material quality is one of the most significant challenges in recycling automotive aluminium scrap, according to the company. "Traditionally, mixed 5xxx and 6xxx alloys from stamping scrap were downcycled, limiting their use in high-value applications. LIBS sorting technology enables rapid and accurate sorting of aluminium scrap, achieving over 95 per cent purity for both alloy families".
Constellium reported this week that it had already processed "significant volumes" of LIBS-sorted scrap at its Neuf-Brisach plant in France which was recently expanded, recycling it into high-quality aluminium solutions without compromising material integrity. "This success showcases the industrial viability of LIBS sorting and its potential to transform aluminium recycling practices on a global scale," according to the company.
"Recycling aluminium scrap with the precision and scale offered by LIBS technology is an unprecedented leap forward for the industry,” said Dieter Höll, Vice-President Global Automotive at Constellium. "This innovative approach allows us to recover high-quality alloys from pre-consumer scrap, significantly reducing our carbon footprint and supporting our customers' sustainability goals."
Together with the metals recycler OSR, which started operating an LIBS sorting system last year at its Rosengarten site in the south of Germany, Constellium intends to continue to work on "enhancements to the technology with the longer-term goal of extracting high value aluminium from end-of-life vehicles. This initiative aims to create a truly circular system for automotive aluminium, aligning with the industry's shift toward a low-carbon economy," the aluminium company said.
