DISASSEMBLY ANALYSIS TO PROMOTE RARE EARTH PERMANENT MAGNET RECOVERY FROM END-OF-LIFE ELECTRIC VEHICLE MOTORS

Driven by growing decarbonization initiatives, looming energy security risks, and heightened environmental awareness, there is escalating attention devoted to clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs), and wind turbines. Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2022 revealed that the transportation sector alone contributed a staggering 29% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Consequently, EVs have emerged as a promising solution to achieve sustainable transportation. The global adoption of EVs has seen exponential growth, with sales projected to surpass 14 million in 2023. EVs heavily rely on rare earth permanent magnets (REPMs), specifically Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnets. These magnets are integral components within the traction motors that drive EVs and are reliant on rare earth elements (REEs), notably Neodymium (Nd) and Dysprosium (Dy). Both Nd and Dy are critical elements vulnerable to supply chain risks, particularly in light of the projected surge in EV demand. Furthermore, the growing number of EVs will lead to a corresponding increase in vehicles reaching their end-of-life (EoL). To mitigate the supply chain vulnerabilities associated with REEs and effectively manage the impending waste generated by EoL EV components, circular economy strategies have been proposed. Consequently, efforts are underway to develop technologies and processes aimed at the circularization of EoL EV components like traction motors, through approaches such as reusing, remanufacturing, and recycling. The disassembly of EoL motors containing REPMs is an essential but challenging step in these operations. The difficulty arises from the unknown sizes and volumes of components and significant variations in transmission and motor designs across different vehicle types. The high costs associated with the disassembly process have made it a prominent research concern, particularly in the remanufacturing industry. In this study, we propose integrating disassembly techniques into value recovery plans for traction motors to reduce landfill waste and encourage the reuse and recycling of REPMs. The primary objective of this paper is to quantitatively assess the level of difficulty (using time as a metric) involved in the manual disassembly of EoL transmissions, focusing on the traction motor. The results of this disassembly evaluation will be used to provide recommendations for design and process improvements. Furthermore, the paper will explore the feasibility of automating specific disassembly procedures, drawing from the insights gained from the manual disassembly assessment. Monte Carlo simulations of the system will be employed to analyze disassembly times in various scenarios characterized by uncertainty, and opportunities to streamline the disassembly process will be investigated.