Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKSOpen Hub Days of the “AI application hub for plastic packaging”
Fraunhofer IWKS opens its doors at the Alzenau site
The amount of plastic waste is constantly increasing, placing a heavy burden on the climate and resources. This makes it all the more important to develop intelligent recycling strategies that reduce waste and keep resources in the cycle. The Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS is working on this and other sustainability-related research. On November 5, 2024, the applied research facility will open its doors from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and invites all interested citizens to gain insights into the latest findings and technologies. The “Open Hub Day” of the Fraunhofer IWKS is part of the pioneering K3I-Cycling project of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The event is free of charge and is aimed at both interested laypeople and visitors from the field.
How can modern technology and artificial intelligence (AI) help to reduce mountains of waste and contribute to keeping important resources in the cycle? Scientists from the Fraunhofer IWKS institute will provide answers to these and many other questions on this day and offer interested parties the opportunity to discuss the challenges in the recycling process with them. Contamination that makes recycling more difficult will be highlighted on site and it will be shown how correct waste separation can make a valuable contribution to keeping packaging in the cycle.
In addition to lectures, exhibits and interactive hands-on stations from the fields of digitalization of resources, bioeconomy, energy materials and magnetic materials, visitors can expect insights into innovative recycling processes. Exclusive guided tours of the pilot plants will include a visit to the sensor-based sorting plant. The venue is the Fraunhofer IWKS, Brentanostraße 2a in 63755 Alzenau. Further information on the event, the program and how to get there can be found at www.iwks.fraunhofer.de.
“AI application hub for plastic packaging”
The “Open Hub Days” are part of the BMBF-funded project “AI Application Hub Plastic Packaging - Sustainable Circular Economy through Artificial Intelligence”. The aim of the project is to use AI methods to improve the sustainability of plastic packaging along the entire value chain - from design to closing the loop. The AI application hub for plastic packaging is made up of two innovation labs: KIOptiPack (design and production) and K3I-Cycling (closing the loop). A total of 51 partners from business, science and society work together in the hub, including the Fraunhofer IWKS.
Designed as a series of events, the “Open Hub Days” cover four locations throughout Germany: Darmstadt, Aachen, Nuremberg and Dresden. Between November 4 and 12, selected project partners will show visitors their research institutes from the inside and provide insights into the topics that the researchers are working on locally. The open days are sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Further information is also available at www.ki-hub-kunststoffverpackungen.de.