What are the opportunities and challenges of recycling in the automotive industry? In this episode of the Greener, Smarter, Lighter Podcast, we explore this question with insights from Francesco Bruzzo of Flexcrash and Wolfgang Seeliger, a sustainability expert.

Host
Hello, listeners. Thank you for joining us again for our series diving into the world of automotive lightweighting and its role in shaping the future of the automotive industry. This is the Greener, Smarter, Lighter Podcast. In today’s episode, we will discuss the opportunities and challenges of recycling. We’re joined by two speakers: Francesco Bruzzo, an engineer on the team at Flexcrash, an EU-funded project focused on lightweighting cars and structures while enhancing crush resistance, and Wolfgang Seeliger, who assists German companies in dealing with new regulations regarding sustainability.

Before we dive into the specifics of the projects, I’d like to start from a project perspective. Welcome both. Wolfgang, can you elaborate on your work in helping German SMEs and OEMs with sustainability challenges, policy, and reporting? And how to approach recycling and incorporating it in sustainability reporting?

Wolfgang Seeliger (WS):
Yes, thank you for inviting me here. You’ve just mentioned regulation, which is a crucial aspect. In the last year, to tackle climate change seriously, the EU introduced legislation requiring sustainability reporting. This is called the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). It has been mandatory for large corporations for a few years and will become mandatory for small and medium-sized companies starting from 2025 for companies with more than 500 employees, and from 2026 for those with more than 250 employees.

Even if your company is smaller than 250 employees, you should be aware of these requirements as they trickle down the value chain, requiring companies to report on Scope 3 emissions from the GHG protocol. Scope 3 concerns any emissions along the value chain and the supply chain. If you’re a small supplier to an OEM, you might already be asked to fill in sustainability reports.

The EU has standardized these through the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These are around 12 documents with roughly 40 pages each, making it mandatory to report on sustainability issues, including environmental, social, and governance criteria. This is a significant challenge for small and medium-sized companies, which may need assistance in the future.

Host:
Thanks a lot. These regulations will definitely impact EU projects. Now, I would like to move to the project side. Francesco, can you elaborate on the Flexcrash project and your role in it?

Francesco Bruzzo (FB):
Thanks for inviting us. In the Flexcrash project, our main aim is to develop flexible hybrid manufacturing technologies to reduce the final weight of cars while increasing vehicle safety during crashes. We focus on simulations from the material point of view to predict material behavior during crashes and predictions on future car crashes, especially with autonomous or self-driving vehicles.

We are developing hybrid technologies by combining conventional methods with additive manufacturing. This allows us to deposit material precisely where needed, enabling high customization of car bodies. From a recycling and circularity perspective, we are not changing the materials used but rather the geometry and shape of the car to reduce material use and simplify recycling.

Additive manufacturing also allows us to produce powder material from recycled aluminum, achieving similar mechanical properties to primary alloys. This approach can significantly enhance the sustainability of our manufacturing processes.

Host:
You’re mostly working with aluminum, right? Could you elaborate on the challenges of aluminum recycling?

Francesco Bruzzo (FB):
Yes, aluminum is already challenging to produce in powder form and treat through additive manufacturing, especially with lasers. The current challenge is convincing companies to change the alloys they use because the ones suitable for conventional manufacturing are not always best for additive manufacturing. We are working on developing new alloys that are easy to recycle and contain low critical raw materials, which will simplify the recycling process and improve sustainability.

Host:
How else is the Flexcrash project contributing to CO2 emission reduction?

Francesco Bruzzo (FB):
This is a challenging topic. There is limited data available, especially from material manufacturers, on their sustainability and CO2 emissions. However, European policies are pushing for more transparency, which will help us perform full life cycle assessments. Within Flexcrash, we aim to reduce emissions by minimizing the material used rather than adding new alloys. This approach enhances sustainability by reducing material use and, consequently, emissions.

Host:
Wolfgang, how do you see lightweight materials within sustainability?

Wolfgang Seeliger (WS):
I appreciate Francesco’s approach of minimizing material use. In lightweighting, the best material is the one you don’t use, avoiding recycling issues. This directly impacts CO2 emissions and sustainability reporting. The new reporting standards require companies to set emission reduction targets, and lightweighting can help achieve these goals by reducing material use and energy consumption.

Host:
Francesco, how do you see the sustainability within your project?

Francesco Bruzzo (FB):
The biggest challenge is industry acceptance of additive manufacturing, which is still seen as a new, non-standardized technology. This is unfortunate because it offers significant sustainability and economic benefits by reducing material use and increasing manufacturing efficiency.

Host:
Wolfgang, do you have examples of companies successfully using lightweight materials?

Wolfgang Seeliger (WS):
Yes, a small and medium-sized company near Stuttgart redesigned their packaging machinery, reducing material use by 48%. This not only lowered energy consumption but also manufacturing costs, benefiting both the environment and the company’s profitability.

Host:
How do you foresee the adoption of lightweight materials in the near future?

Francesco Bruzzo (FB):
Software solutions are being developed to help designers create complex shapes and optimize material use. These tools will become more widespread, aiding in the adoption of lightweight materials.

Wolfgang Seeliger (WS):
New regulations like the CSRD will push companies to adopt sustainable practices, including lightweighting. This will drive technological advancements and industry awareness.

Host:
Do you think we will overcome these challenges by 2030?

Wolfgang Seeliger (WS):
It might take longer than 2030, but the industry will become more aware and start making significant progress.

Francesco Bruzzo (FB):
Younger generations are already embracing sustainability, but retraining the existing workforce will be a significant challenge.

Host (IA):
I hope we can discuss this topic again in a few years to see the progress. Thanks a lot for joining us today.

Francesco Bruzzo (FB):
Thank you.

Wolfgang Seeliger (WS):
Thank you so much.

Learn more about the SALIENT project here       

Visit Flexcrash here

Keep informed on the updates coming from ELCA by visiting LinkedIn.