ASAAP Advancing Sustainable Aluminium by Adaptive Processing

With the project ASAAP – Advancing Sustainable Aluminium by Adaptive Processing, Speira, together with leading industrial and research partners, is driving the development of high‑quality aluminium grades based on recycled materials. The focus lies on the industrial use of aluminium from end‑of‑life scrap for demanding formed sheet components while maintaining consistently high product quality.

By means of adaptive, digitally controlled process chains, recycling‑related fluctuations in alloy composition can be deliberately compensated. In this way, ASAAP makes a substantial contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions, replacing primary aluminium, and strengthening a resilient European value chain.

Objectives and Innovations

ASAAP relies on digital integration and model‑based optimisation along the entire process chain:

• Reduction of the carbon footprint through increased recycling content in aluminium sheets for battery enclosures and lightweight structures
• Development of adaptive, digitally supported process chains that optimally utilise recycled materials without compromising material properties or processability
• Use of digital twins based on fast, physics‑based simulations for holistic process and material optimisation
• Provision of reliable sustainability data to support reporting requirements and product development

Speira’s Focus: Recycling‑oriented Process Chain Development and Validation

As an experienced industrial partner in aluminium processing, Speira contributes the following core competencies to ASAAP, in addition to its extensive expertise in industrial manufacturing processes for aluminium flat products:

• Physics‑based integrated models for process and material simulation in rolling and heat treatment
• Strategic widening of alloy composition windows for recycling‑intensive aluminium alloys
• Close integration of material analytics, process development and digitalisation
• Transfer of project results into industrial production chains

Technological Core

Using digital tools, ASAAP links process simulations, material models and experimental data into a seamless development platform:

• A comprehensive digital twin of the aluminium process chain
• Adaptive process control enabled by the Adaptive Circularity Monitor (ACM)

• Speira - Industrial implementation and scaling of process solutions
• IBF RWTH Aachen University - Metal forming and processing technology
• LMW Uni Siegen - Materials science and characterisation
• Matplus - Digitalisation and optimisation of the overall process chain
• MUBEA - Component development and application‑specific validation

Funding

State of North Rhine‑Westphalia and the European Union

Duration: 01.10.2025 - 30.09.2028