Have you ever wondered what happens to all the prototypes and to the car test once the production model has been unveiled? They often continue to roam around for a while while the final features are being fine-tuned, still wrapped because removing the camouflage film takes too long, but at the end of their useful life cycle they are dismantled or scrapped, recycling the useful parts for other projects.
At Home BMW the dismantling takes place in Recycling and Dismantling Center (RDZ), which this year celebrates its 50th birthday 30 years old of activities. Let’s find out how it works and what happens inside its headquarters.
Recycle from start to finish
Every year, at the RDZ, which in German stands for Recycling and dismantling centerseveral thousand vehicles are recycled. Most of the cars that enter the site – from which they will never leave again – are pre-series vehicles that have served their purpose and which, for various reasons, are not suitable for sale to customers as used.
Once selected, they are dismantled with a standardized processwhich focuses on identifying components and materials that can be reused for subsequent projects and are suitable for recycling.
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
According to the company, it all began in 1994 with the creation of the company’s site in Lohhof, north of Munich, which has been expanded over the course of three decades into a true center of excellence for vehicle recycling.
In light of new regulations and the BMW Group’s ambitious goals, the RDZ will become even more important in the coming years, with the experience gained being crucial when it comes to further improving the recyclability of vehicles.
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
A long process
Vehicle recycling at the RDZ begins with the controlled release of restraint systemsin particular of the airbags, and by pumping out all the liquids – a process developed by the BMW Group which is used, among other things, to neutralise the pyrotechnic substances used in the airbags.
At the same time, oil is also removed from the shock absorbers using a device specially developed at the Elica research and development center.
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
Phase number 2 of the disassembly then focuses on the recycling of the individual components, starting with those that are perfectly preserved and functioning with series status, which are given to the dealers registered for resale and are therefore not disposed of.
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
The next phase, instead, focuses on the mechanical disassembly of the rest of the vehicle, with some materials, such as the copper contained in the wiring, which is separated with a specially developed excavator.
Finally, the last phase involves, after the removal of the engine block and gearbox, the pressing and shredding of the remaining parts in an external recycling plant.
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
Targeted metal dismantling ensures that today’s scrap is transformed into tomorrow’s raw materials to the greatest possible extent and in optimum quality.
This is not only important from an ecological point of view, but also from a economic. Like copper, in fact, the metals used in transmission also generate particularly high sales revenues according to the company.
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
Finally, with the growth of electric mobility, the recycling of high-voltage batteries has also become an important business for the RDZ in recent years, which has been developing innovative methods for recycling the storage units of vehicles with electrified drive systems for years.
BMW
30 Years of the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Center
But what is all this for? In addition to recycling, it also makes research. The BMW Group has in fact played a fundamental role in the creation of the platform IDS (International Dismantling Information System), the international system in which all the data and results of vehicle dismantling are published, which can be consulted by approximately 3,000 companies in 32 countries.
Source: it.motor1.com
