Related Projects

Accelerating Circular Manufacturing Through Digital Innovation

Horizon Europe Cluster 4 – Twin Transition Projects

The DIAMETER project is a key initiative funded by Horizon Europe under the Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space – Twin Transition programme. As part of the HORIZON-CL4-2024-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-05 call, DIAMETER is helping to redefine the future of circular manufacturing through cutting-edge digital innovation and additive manufacturing technologies.

At its core, DIAMETER (Demonstration of a sustainable circular-by-design manufacturing system based on additive manufacturing) addresses the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and resource waste in the metal manufacturing sector. The project is developing two powerful digital tools:

DIAgonal: an AI-assisted platform to support sustainable design, process optimization, and life cycle assessment (LCA).
DIAdemia: a next-generation e-learning platform that upskills the industrial workforce in circular economy principles and Industry 4.0 methodologies.

By integrating AI in manufacturing, circular-by-design strategies, and hybrid manufacturing systems, DIAMETER is creating a scalable model that aligns with the European Green Deal and contributes to the EU's goal of climate neutrality by 2050

Under the HORIZON-CL4-2024-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-05 call, a portfolio of collaborative projects is pioneering digital and sustainable technologies to transform industrial production from linear to circular.

Why DIAMETER Matters in the Horizon Europe Ecosystem

As part of a strategic portfolio of Horizon Europe circular manufacturing projects, DIAMETER embodies the vision of a twin transition: a digitally enhanced, environmentally sustainable industrial future. The project brings together a consortium of 18 partners from Europe, Australia, and the United States—including universities, research institutions, SMEs, and industry leaders—all working together to transform linear production into circular manufacturing.

The mission is clear: to establish circular, low-carbon, and resource-efficient manufacturing as the new standard for European industry.

Sister Projects Under the Twin Transition Call

DIAMETER is one of several sister projects funded under the same Horizon Europe call. Each project contributes to the overarching mission with distinct but complementary innovations in digital tools, AI applications, and sustainable manufacturing systems:

Enabling Circular Value Chains Through Data

DATA4CIRC is at the forefront of using data to power circular manufacturing. With a consortium of 13 partners across 8 countries and a unique collaboration with Japan, the project is implementing digital solutions to enhance environmental performance in manufacturing.

Key innovations include:

Integrating environmental data into decision-making.
Building the foundation for Digital Product Passports (DPP).
Demonstrating applications across three value chains: recycling agricultural plastics, remanufacturing electronics, and refurbishing catalytic converters.

Circular Solutions for Photovoltaic Systems

CIRCMAN5.0 tackles the urgent issue of solar panel waste by creating closed-loop systems for photovoltaic manufacturing. Spanning 19 partners and 9 countries, the project combines AI-driven design, circular economy principles, and digital twins to:

Forecast environmental impacts.
Support sustainable design choices.
Validate innovations across four pilot sites covering all lifecycle phases of PV systems.

Designing the Circular Future of Automotive Casting

Digi4Circular focuses on circular product development in the automotive sector, particularly aluminum casting. Through machine learning and lifecycle data integration, it enables:

Predictive material modeling.
Environmental impact analysis.
Compliance with EU regulations.

The platform streamlines workflows to reduce emissions and improve resource efficiency without compromising performance or cost.

Building the IIoT Backbone for Circular Manufacturing

ENCIRCLE is developing a smart Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) framework to support circularity. It includes:

Digital Twins for real-time simulation.
Reinforcement learning for optimized production.
Augmented reality interfaces and blockchain for traceability.

These technologies converge to reduce emissions and facilitate the implementation of trustworthy DPPs.

Optimizing Additive Manufacturing with Green Engineering

GEAR-UP develops tools to manage variability in recycled materials and enhance additive manufacturing outcomes. It focuses on:

Combining AI with lifecycle assessments.
Optimizing production processes.
Reducing defects and waste.

Case studies cover fiber-reinforced polymers, recycled aluminum, and specialized industrial components.

Creating a Digital Passport for Product-Service Systems

PSS-Pass supports sustainable manufacturing by merging products and services into unified systems tracked with a Digital Product Service System Passport (DPSSP). The project uses:

Machine learning and digital twins for performance monitoring.
Blockchain for transparency and traceability.
Real-world pilots to validate outcomes across sectors.

These projects, along with DIAMETER, form a cohesive EU-wide innovation ecosystem supporting sustainable industrial transformation, contributing to smart, resilient, and green manufacturing.

Each initiative contributes to a powerful innovation ecosystem, translating policy ambitions into industrial realities and laying the groundwork for a circular economy at scale.