ReINTEGRA · Project

Profitable Recycling Methods for High-Value Aluminum-Lithium Aircraft Panels

manufacturingTestedTRL 5

Modern aircraft are built with expensive aluminum-lithium alloy panels welded together — lighter and stronger, but a nightmare to recycle when the plane retires. ReINTEGRA figured out the best ways to cut apart these welded panels, strip off the paint, and melt them back into usable metal without losing the valuable alloying elements. Think of it like learning how to un-bake a cake so you can reuse the expensive ingredients. They even built a software tool that predicts which alloy combinations are compatible for recycling, and tested everything from small samples to actual full-size panels in a pilot melting facility.

By the numbers

consortium partners across recycling value chain

countries involved (Belgium, Spain)

total project deliverables

demo deliverable — recycling compatibility software tool with scalable results

The business problem

What needed solving

Aerospace manufacturers are shifting to welded aluminum-lithium panels for lighter, cheaper aircraft — but nobody had reliable methods to recycle these panels when planes retire. Without proper dismantling and sorting procedures, valuable Al-Li alloys end up contaminated or downgraded, wasting expensive materials and creating environmental liabilities for recyclers and OEMs alike.

The solution

What was built

A recycling compatibility software tool that predicts alloy composition after remelting mixed aerospace scrap (updated with scalable pilot results). Validated dismantling procedures covering cutting strategies, material sorting, and decoating methods for Laser Beam Welded and Friction Stir Welded Al-Li panels, tested in a pilot melting facility on both small coupons and live panels.

Audience

Who needs this

Aircraft dismantling and recycling companies (e.g., Tarmac Aerosave, eCube Solutions)Secondary aluminum smelters processing aerospace scrapAerostructure OEMs designing for end-of-life recyclability (e.g., Airbus, Stelia)Environmental compliance teams at airlines managing fleet retirementAluminum-lithium alloy producers interested in closed-loop recycling

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Aerospace MRO & End-of-Life

mid-size

Target: Aircraft dismantling and recycling companies

If you are an aircraft dismantler dealing with growing volumes of retired planes built with welded Al-Li panels — this project developed optimized cutting and decoating procedures tested on live panels that rank recycling options by cost, environmental impact, and metal recovery effectiveness. The recycling compatibility software tool lets you predict alloy quality before committing to expensive melting runs.

Aluminum Smelting & Secondary Metals

enterprise

Target: Secondary aluminum producers and metal recyclers

If you are a metal recycler struggling to maintain alloy purity when processing mixed aerospace scrap — this project built a compatibility software tool that calculates theoretical composition of mixed materials per weld length and corrects it with experimental remelting data. The pilot melting results show which separation strategies preserve the most value from 3rd generation Al-Li alloys.

Aerospace Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Aircraft OEMs and tier-1 aerostructure suppliers

If you are an aerostructure manufacturer required to demonstrate end-of-life recyclability for new welded panel designs — this project provides Life Cycle Assessment data and proven dismantling procedures for Laser Beam Welded and Friction Stir Welded panels. The compatibility tool helps you design for recyclability from the start, choosing weld configurations that maximize material recovery.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these recycling procedures?

The project does not publish specific cost figures. However, the research ranked all recycling options by cost, environmental impact, and effectiveness — meaning a cost comparison framework exists. Contact the consortium for access to the cost-ranking data from their pilot melting trials.

Can these methods work at industrial scale, not just in a lab?

The procedures were tested both at coupon level (small samples) and in a live panel dismantling experiment using actual welded panels. The software tool was explicitly updated with scalable results (deliverable D53). This is beyond lab-only, but full industrial-scale deployment would still need validation at a commercial smelter.

What about intellectual property and licensing the software tool?

The recycling compatibility software tool is a key deliverable. IP is likely held by the consortium led by Fundacion Azterlan. As a Clean Sky 2 project, licensing terms may involve the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking. Direct contact with the coordinator is recommended for licensing discussions.

Which specific alloy types does this cover?

The project specifically targets 3rd generation Aluminum-Lithium alloys used in next-generation aircraft panels joined by Laser Beam Welding (LBW) and Friction Stir Welding (FSW). The compatibility tool also accounts for filler materials and coatings mixed in during the welding and painting process.

Does this help with regulatory compliance for aircraft recycling?

The project includes a full Life Cycle Assessment covering materials, energy flows, emissions, and waste generation during the end-of-life process. This LCA data directly supports compliance with EU environmental regulations and aircraft manufacturer sustainability requirements.

How long before this could be adopted in a real recycling facility?

The project closed in April 2023 with tested procedures and a working software tool with scalable results. The core methods — cutting strategies, decoating, and pilot melting — have been validated on real panels. Integration into an existing facility would require adapting the procedures to specific equipment and alloy streams.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium of 4 partners from Belgium and Spain is research-heavy (3 research organizations, 1 industry partner, 25% industry ratio, zero SMEs). Led by Fundacion Azterlan, a Spanish materials research foundation with metallurgy expertise, the team is built for deep technical investigation rather than commercial rollout. The single industry partner likely provided real-world aerospace panels and manufacturing context. For a business looking to adopt these results, the research-dominant composition means you would be working with organizations focused on technical rigor — but commercialization would likely require bringing in additional industrial recycling partners.

FUNDACION AZTERLANCoordinator · ES
CASA MARISTAS AZTERLANthirdparty · ES
SOCIETE NATIONALE DE CONSTRUCTION AEROSPATIALE SONACA SAparticipant · BE
FUNDACION CIDETECparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

Fundacion Azterlan (Spain) — a materials research foundation specializing in metallurgy. Reachable through their institutional website or the project site.

Order a report on this consortium See FUNDACION AZTERLAN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the recycling compatibility software or adopting the dismantling procedures? SciTransfer can connect you with the ReINTEGRA team and help structure the conversation.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0