Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMTFor the first time, Rapid-KI demonstrated an intelligent, in-line control system for laser ablation processes by combining acoustics, artificial intelligence (AI), and real-time control. This technology enables the automated, quality-assured, and resource-efficient de-coating of electronic components for repair and recycling.
Description and objectives
Initial situation: Durability vs. recyclability
Highly stressed electronics, such as control systems for electric drives or intelligent measurement systems, are usually coated or encapsulated to protect them from environmental influences. These precautions make repair or recycling virtually impossible. There is a typical trade-off between longevity and recyclability of electronic components. This is illustrated by the following figures: in 2019, 53.6 million tons of electronic waste will be generated worldwide, of which only 20 percent will be recycled.
There are currently no processes that go beyond manual removal of the applied encapsulants. Components with a silicon-based protective coating can only be thermally recycled, which is neither economical nor sustainable. The need for sustainable, robust and selective decoating processes is growing in many industries, such as wind power, shipbuilding, aerospace and e-mobility.
Successful project completion
The project developed an intelligent, sensor-based inline control system for laser ablation processes. This system enables the automated, material-friendly stripping of electronic assemblies, which combines acoustic sensor data, optical measurement methods, and AI-based evaluation methods. This allows process parameters to be adjusted in real time during machining, improving the quality of the ablation, reducing scrap, and increasing automation levels. This project’s results build the basis for future applications in the repair and sustainable recycling of electronic assemblies, as well as other industrial applications of sensor-based laser process control.
Results at a Glance
- Development of a real-time control system for adaptive laser ablation process control
- Development of an AI-based process evaluation system that uses synchronously acquired acoustic and image data
- Demonstrated the method’s suitability for gently de-coating electronic assemblies in repair and recycling applications
- Development of automated data and analysis processes for training, validating, and deploying AI models in process monitoring.
- Establishment of a technological foundation for follow-up industrial projects and integration into future production facilities