RoB@t2Cell Advances Automated Battery Disassembly

Researchers in Germany have launched the RoB@t2Cell project to develop automated battery disassembly, intelligent discharge, and recycling systems designed to support second-life battery reuse and circular manufacturing.

The project focuses on the development of automated systems capable of safely discharging, dismantling, characterizing, and processing used battery cells and modules for either reuse or recycling. The initiative aims to strengthen sustainable circular economy practices across the European battery manufacturing and recycling sector.

According to the project team, conventional battery recycling methods often require deep discharge processes that permanently damage cells and eliminate opportunities for second-life applications. RoB@t2Cell instead seeks to introduce intelligent discharge strategies that preserve viable cells for reuse while preparing damaged or end-of-life batteries for efficient material recovery.

The project’s automated system is designed to combine robotic contacting, intelligent battery characterization, real-time decision-making, and demand-based discharge processes. Depending on the intended downstream application, battery cells can either be gently stabilized for reuse or deeply discharged for recycling operations. Researchers are also developing automated robotic disassembly systems capable of exposing battery cell poles and processing modern bonded battery designs. The disassembly technologies are expected to support safer handling of high-voltage battery systems while improving scalability for industrial recycling operations.

For battery cells designated for recycling, the project incorporates a water-based recycling process designed to improve recovery rates for critical raw materials. The initiative also supports compliance with evolving European Union battery regulations focused on sustainability, traceability, and material recovery efficiency. The Fraunhofer Research Institution for Material Cycles and Resource Strategy IWKS is contributing expertise in strategic materials recovery and automated disassembly technologies. The organization will also utilize infrastructure from the Center for Disassembly and Recycling for Electromobility (ZDR-EMIL) to support development of robot-assisted battery dismantling and hydro-mechanical recycling processes.

The RoB@t2Cell project builds on technologies previously developed through the DeMoBat battery disassembly initiative and is intended to further advance automated battery processing capabilities down to the individual cell level. The project consortium includes industrial, research, and academic partners focused on battery manufacturing, automation, and recycling technologies. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space and is scheduled to run through December 2028.  For more information, please click here. 

Source/Photo Credit: Fraunhofer IWKS

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