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EMPowerMet: Europe’s Circular Titanium Future
A new European value chain transforming titanium scrap and end-of-life components into high-performance products while reducing energy use, waste and reliance on primary raw materials.
The EMPowerMet – Electric & Mechanical Power for Metal Manufacturing project has officially launched. Funded under Horizon Europe, the 36-month initiative aims to develop and demonstrate a more circular, energy-efficient and resilient titanium value chain in Europe.
Titanium is a strategic raw material for several industrial sectors, yet Europe remains highly dependent on imports and has limited domestic primary production. This exposes European industries to geopolitical instability, price fluctuations and supply-chain vulnerabilities.
EMPowerMet addresses this challenge by developing new processing routes capable of transforming titanium swarf and end-of-life components into high-performance semi-finished products and industrial parts. The project aims to reduce the use of primary resources and replace conventional, energy-intensive manufacturing routes with electrically and mechanically driven technologies.
From secondary raw materials to new industrial components
The project will integrate solid-state recycling and manufacturing technologies, including Field-Assisted Sintering Technology, or FAST, and CONFORM, to convert recovered titanium into sheets, plates, rods and wires.
These semi-finished materials will then be further processed through technologies such as deep drawing, wire-arc Directed Energy Deposition, or waDED, and inductive heat treatments.
The new process chain will be validated at TRL 7 through three industrial demonstrators:
- a fire-protective helmet;
- space landing gear structures;
- an aeroplane service port.
These applications will allow the consortium to assess the technical performance of the recycled materials and manufacturing processes in demanding environments where strength, reliability and safety are essential.
inovaLab’s contribution
As part of the project, inovaLab will develop induction heating technology to carry out localised and controlled heat treatments on specific areas of the three demonstrators.
Manufacturing processes can, in fact, generate non-uniform residual stresses which, in the presence of particular geometries, thermal gradients or operating conditions, can facilitate the initiation and propagation of cracks. Reducing these stresses is particularly important for components intended for critical applications in the safety, aeronautics and space sectors.
The induction solution will enable thermal energy to be delivered only to the areas concerned, avoiding the need to heat the entire component inside large furnaces. This approach will allow for more precise control of the treatment, reduce heat loss and minimise energy consumption compared with conventional solutions.
An integrated approach to sustainability
EMPowerMet will go beyond the technical validation of the proposed processes. The project will also assess the environmental, economic, social and circularity performance of the complete value chain.
The consortium will contribute to the development of a Digital Product Passport, supporting material traceability, process data collection and the sustainability assessment of the resulting products.
By combining solid-state recycling, electrified manufacturing processes and targeted heat treatments, EMPowerMet aims to support the European Union’s objectives for lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved resource efficiency and stronger industrial resilience.
The project brings together 15 European partners with complementary expertise in materials, manufacturing technologies, simulation, sustainability and industrial validation.
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