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Project for sustainable automotive engineering

Under the leadership of the BMW Group, innovative processes and material concepts are to be developed along the value chain.

 

The consortium project "Future Sustainable Car Materials" (FSCM), which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) for three years, aims to reduce the CO2 footprint of future automobiles. To this end, a total of 19 companies and research institutes from various industrial sectors are reportedly developing new approaches to the use of sustainable materials for circular automotive production. The aim is to include large parts of the value chain. At present, it is particularly challenging to provide materials from different recyclable material streams in a consistently high quality for the cycle, says Martin Derks, development of complete vehicles, head of plastics at the BMW Group and project manager of FSCM. To develop solutions for this, partners with different competencies in materials development are to work closely together in the project. Among those involved, he said, is specialty chemicals group Evonik, which is contributing its expertise in plastics and additives for recycling. "Our mechanical recycling experts are working closely with recyclers to provide methods for cleaning up plastic parts, such as removing coatings at the end of their useful life," explains Patrick Glöckner, head of the Global Circular Plastics Program at Evonik, that is said to look at markets, products, and processes with regard to efficient plastic cycles. The goal was to mechanically or chemically recycle as much plastic as possible using the most ecologically and economically sensible process. According to Glöckner, the consortium project with BMW will work with compounders to develop solutions for using the highest possible proportion of recycled plastics in new automotive parts.
 

Sources:

  • plastverarbeiter.de (Jan. 31, 2023)
  • Photo: © BMW Group

 

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