Automotive prototype from recycled carbon fiber reinforced recycled polyamide composite

Automotive industries are promoting and working to improve the sustainability of their vehicles by using materials, which includes increasing of recycled and lightweight materials. Increasing recycled materials is to improve resource efficiency by recycling consumer and industrial waste and increasing lightweight materials is to improve vehicle fuel efficiency by expanding the use of lightweight materials. An automotive prototype (oil pan) is developed from 100% recycled material (20 wt% recycled carbon fiber with 80 wt% recycled polyamide) to improve fuel efficiency by light weighting and as well as sustainability. The material properties and processing parameters are compared to current production part. A global thermal cycling durability test of prototype part has been performed where the continuous high temperature is mainly concerned. It is found that the prototype part is 15% lighter than current part and as well as lower processing time. The prototype part has successfully passed the global thermal cycling durability test.