Method And System For Recycling Metal Products Using QR Codes

1 . A method for recycling metal parts comprising:

providing a metal part with a QR code linked to an online website or an application, the QR code containing data on the metal part and the website or the application containing information on recycling of the metal part;

reading the QR code using a mobile communication device enabling access to the information on the website or the application by a user of the mobile communication device and access to the data on the metal part by a recycling entity in signal communication with the website or the application configured to control the information and to recycle the metal part;

displaying selected information from the website or the application on the mobile communication device; and

recycling the metal part using at least some of the information on the website or the application and the data on the metal part.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the recycling step comprises manufacturing a recycled metal part using metal from the metal part, the recycled metal part having a second QR code containing second data.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the manufacturing step is performed using an additive manufacturing system.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising contacting the user using contact information obtained from the mobile communication device during the reading step.

5 . A method for recycling metal parts comprising:

providing a metal part with a QR code linked to an online website or an application, the QR code containing data on the metal part and the website or the application containing information on recycling of the metal part;

reading the QR code using a mobile communication device enabling access to the information on the website or the application by a user of the mobile communication device and access to the data on the metal part by a recycling entity in signal communication with the website or the application configured to control the information and to recycle the metal part;

displaying selected information from the website or the application on the mobile communication device; and

manufacturing a recycled metal part using metal from the metal part, the recycled metal part having a second QR code with second data.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the manufacturing step is performed using an additive manufacturing system.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the additive manufacturing system includes a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) system, a laser metal deposition (LIVID) system, or an electron beam melting (EBM) system.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the second QR code extends vertically into a surface of the recycled metal part.

9 . A recycling system for recycling metal parts comprising:

a metal part having a QR code containing data on the metal part;

a mobile communication device configured to read the QR code and having a link to an online website or an application containing information on recycling the metal part; and

a recycling entity configured to control the information, to access the data and to recycle the metal part.

10 . The recycling system of claim 9 wherein the recycling entity includes an additive manufacturing system configured to melt the metal part into a molten metal, to atomize the molten metal into an alloy powder, and to fabricate a recycled metal part using the alloy powder.

11 . The recycling system of claim 10 wherein the additive manufacturing system includes a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) system, a laser metal deposition (LIVID) system, or an electron beam melting (EBM) system.