In October 2024, the European Defence Agency (EDA) issued a call for proposals in view of selecting so-called "Starter Projects" to deliver Proofs of Concept. Within this call the project “Chips to Parts: Circularity of titanium scrap from machining to additive manufacturing” (CHIPART), has been selected.
CHIPART addresses the European dependence on imported titanium, contributing to the EU Critical Raw Materials Act goals by promoting recycling and circularity within the defence and industrial sectors. The project will initiate a new path for local, sustainable titanium supply chains and wider use of Ti alloys in high-performance applications.
Titanium is widely used in military and civilian industries due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, durability, and resistance, making it ideal for applications such as aircraft turbines, ordnance components, submarine valves, and lightweight protective armour. However, its high cost—driven by complex processing and limited supply—restricts broader adoption.
CHIPART aims to address these challenges by transforming titanium scrap into high-value products suitable for military applications. When combined with additive manufacturing, this approach enables more personalised protective equipment and optimised armour designs. Recycling titanium not only reduces environmental impact but also strengthens Europe’s supply chain resilience. These benefits, however, must be validated through CHIPART’s proof-of-concept activities, both in processing and demonstrating confidence in the recycled material.
CHIPART – Circularity of titanium
CHIPART aims to realise a proof of concept, demonstrating the valorisation of Ti-6Al-4V scrap from machining into high added value products by additive manufacturing (AM) in simple and low energy-consuming steps.
The specific objectives are:
- To optimize Ti recycling processes to minimize environmental impact using mechanical milling and evaluate results through a simplified Life Cycle Analysis (LCA).
Titanium is included in Europe’s list of critical raw materials and is increasingly essential due to current and future applications. Today, titanium recycling is either exported to countries producing ingots and materials or routed into large-scale recycling systems where different material types are mixed and subsequently corrected.
CHIPART aims to deliver a specific, high-quality product from a selected secondary titanium source. This approach will provide clear knowledge of the alloy composition, reduce sorting costs, and eliminate unnecessary steps—since CHIPART converts machined chips directly into powder rather than first producing ingots.
- To produce quality AM parts from non-spherical recycled powder, adapting parameters for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) technologies and validating material performance.
Additive manufacturing technologies are gaining relevance across sectors thanks to their potential for design optimisation, deployment flexibility, and tool-free production capacities, paving the way for digital warehousing. However, AM processes typically rely on spherical, highly controlled powders to ensure process stability and minimise porosity.
Certain applications, however, can tolerate alternative powder grades or slightly higher porosity levels—which can also be mitigated through design or post-processing (e.g., HIPping).
- To define an economically viable recycling pathway for titanium, comparing local and external valorisation routes to support future industrialisation.
Conventional technologies for producing titanium powder rely on melting processes, which are highly energy-intensive and largely dependent on fossil-based resources. CHIPART proposes an alternative approach based on ball/ring milling, a mechanical process that does not require remelting and can be deployed at smaller scales.
Figure 1. Approach to generating AM produced metal parts from secondary materials sources including CHIPART´s path and some alternative route
CHIPART will deliver those main outputs:
- Report on environmental costs of the type of recycling approach.
- Business plan on circularity approach with internal and external scenarios.
- Demonstration of parts production on use cases with LPBF and DED with non-spherical powder.
- Report on tests and user cases parts.
Moreover, the project has the following technical targets:
-Demonstration of recyclability above 90% (by weight) from chips to powder.
-Reduction of energy consumption by over 95% compared with current remelting + atomisation routes.
-Production and validation of AM samples achieving more than 98% density.
CHIPART – Consortium
CHIPART brings together partners covering the full value chain:
-IDONIAL Technology center (Spain): is recognized for its excellence in advanced materials, digitalization, and manufacturing technologies, and plays an active role in supporting both the defence and industrial sectors. One of IDONIAL’s main pillars is the development of metallic materials and the use of advanced characterization techniques, together with additive manufacturing (AM) technologies—an area in which the center was a pioneer more than 15 years ago, leading the implementation of these technologies at an industrial level. Through strategic investments in research and development, IDONIAL also promotes sustainable practices, including material recycling and circular-economy initiatives.
-CRM Group (Belgium): CRM Group is a 75-year leader in metals innovation, specializing in resource efficiency, circularity, and decarbonization. It provides deep expertise in producing, transforming, and applying metallic materials using advanced R&D and modern facilities. CRM operates across the full metals value chain, scaling solutions from lab research to semi-industrial production. Its pilot plants and integrated approach enable the rapid industrialization of new technologies.
-DTI – Danish Technological Institute (Denmark): DTI is known for anticipating industrial and societal needs, enabling the early maturation of technologies before they are widely recognized in the market. As a European pioneer in additive manufacturing with over 35 years’ experience, DTI leverages this to address challenges in sectors demanding resilience and advanced solutions. Its unique authorization for production allows seamless scaling from research to industrial application, ensuring swift implementation and real-world validation. DTI’s agile operating model and robust infrastructure closely align with the project’s aims in strategic and sustainable innovation.
About IF CEED
Since October 2021, the European Defence Agency (EDA) has managed the Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED), a collaborative initiative applying EU Green Deal principles to the defence sector. Bringing together Ministries of Defence, industry, RTOs, financial institutions, and academia, IF CEED fosters circular solutions that support both military capability and environmental goals. Now in its second phase (2023–2027), the Forum focuses on implementing and developing cross-border projects, promoting innovation and sustainable practices, and reducing the defence sector’s environmental footprint.
The Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED) is co-funded by the European Union (under the LIFE programme), the Italian Ministry of Defence and the Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs - Directorate of Defence.
About EDA
EDA supports its 27 Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the ‘hub’ for European defence cooperation, with expertise and networks that span the entire spectrum of defence technologies.
The CHIPART project is co-funded by the European Union's LIFE Programme and the European Defence Agency, within the framework of the Incubation Forum for the Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED).
“Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Defence Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”
