E-bike motors: The trend towards electric bicycles continues. According to that Bicycle Industry Association (ZIV) e-bikes already accounted for 2022 percent of all bicycle sales in 48 and this number continues to rise. There is an increasing variety of models, both from well-known brands and from small manufacturers that are bringing new innovations to the market. However, repairs in workshops, especially for batteries and motors, are often not technically and economically feasible. This can mean that the failure of a component of an electric bike can result in a total loss.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer IPA asked themselves why used e-bike motors cannot be industrially refurbished. In a project called »AddRE-Mon«, which was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), together with partners they examined the technical feasibility of remanufacturing electric bicycle motors. The entire process chain of reconditioning - from non-destructive dismantling to cleaning, testing, reconditioning or replacement with new parts to assembly - was examined and its ecological and economic potential analyzed. Researchers also investigated the use of additive manufacturing processes and appropriate combinations of processes and materials to produce durable and resilient replacement parts.
E-bike motors: from disassembly to reassembly
In the first step, the team examined the failure probability of e-bike motors from established manufacturers. They then checked whether and under what conditions wear-prone spare parts such as gears and torque arms can be additively manufactured. The data required for 3D printing was obtained either through 3D modeling or 3D digitizing, depending on the geometry of the components. Then they selected suitable materials and additive processes. Together with the companies cirp and Electric Bike Solutions, Fraunhofer IPA finally manufactured the components and tested their service life, noise level and temperature resistance in specially developed test benches and under real loads. In total, more than 120 parts were made from 20 different materials using a 3D printer. High-speed sintering, a special process for manufacturing or modifying materials, in combination with the plastic polyamide 12 (PA12) proved to be particularly promising. The results of the project were summarized in the study "Additive remanufacturing in the electric bicycle industry". downloaded here for free .
E-bike motors: sustainability and resource efficiency
Through the reassembly and the test under real conditions, the project partners were able to prove the technical feasibility and durability. The research results showed that individual components such as gear wheels can be additively manufactured and used sustainably. The bicycle motor produced by remanufacturing corresponds to a newly manufactured motor in terms of quality and also includes the same guarantee. An important aspect was also the ecological evaluation of the remanufacturing process in comparison to new manufacture. By using additive manufacturing, resource consumption in the electric bicycle industry can be reduced by up to 90 percent, measured in terms of the impact on the climate in kilogram CO2 equivalents. The economic savings potential for comparable components is usually around 30 to 40 percent compared to buying a new electric motor. This also offers great potential for manufacturers of electric motors.
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Learning factory RemanLab reopened in Bayreuth
In order to use the results of the project in the long term, the process chain for the remanufacturing of electric bicycle motors will be presented in the new learning center for remanufacturing, the RemanLab am Fraunhofer IPA in Bayreuth, implemented and made tangible. The RemanLab will open on May 23, 2023. Companies get an insight into the future of sustainable production in this realistic learning environment, which includes all the necessary test benches. The knowledge of the complexity of the reconditioning process is conveyed using a specific example, starting with the incoming inspection, through disassembly, cleaning, testing, refurbishment, reassembly to the final inspection. The RemanLab shows how digital technologies and automation can revolutionize the remanufacturing not only of electric motors, but also of small electrical appliances and other products. The RemanLab will be held from June 27th to 29th, 2023 at the ReMaTec trade fair in Amsterdam presented in the innovation zone.