Japan's Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Kasei Limited and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. succeeded in jointly developing the world's first practical process for reclaiming and reusing magnesium alloy from chassis of used notebook PCs collected by the company. This new technology is applied to the fall and winter 2002 FMV-BIBLO MG and FMV-BIBLO NB models.

Magnesium alloy has become a popular material in notebook PCs, since it offers the durability needed for the recent trend of thinner and lighter designs, and the heat dissipation to cope with faster processors that generate more heat. Magnesium alloy accounts for 25 to 50 percent of the total weight in Fujitsu's notebooks using the material.

To recycle material leftover from original PC chassis molding process, the company started applying a re-melting process with the winter 1999 models of notebooks. The chassis of used notebook computers were not recycled by this method, however, because the process would discharge large quantities of particulates and toxic fumes from the combustion of surface coatings.

Meanwhile, Fujitsu developed a process of soaking the chassis in an alkaline solution that removes this coating, enabling the chassis to be re-melted. Further, by fine-tuning the composition of the molten alloy, the company succeeded in developing a recycling process that produces reused alloy having the same quality as virgin material, without emitting any toxic fumes or particulates. The most recent breakthrough by Fujitsu and its affiliates was the development of the technology to successfully apply this process to mass production.

This new method significantly reduces environmental impacts, cutting emissions to one sixth the amount of the conventional molding process (carbon dioxide equivalent). This breakthrough moves the company ahead in the growing trend to recover and recycle used notebook PCs, based on Japan's Revised Recycling Law.

http://pr.fujitsu.com/en/news/2002/12/4.html

Posted: 2003/01/20 03:18:48 AM
Japanese version

TAG Global warming , Manufacturing industry , Material reduction , Technology