Environmental Strategies for Sustainable Manufacturing Process of Composites

Abstract

This research is focused on the strategic road mapping of composite manufacturing process and aims to understand the sustainability and related costs of composite part manufacturing. A manufacturing route of a serial automotive component is mapped and modelled using the following steps: (1) a holistic, cradle to grave product model for both manuflacturing and assembly operations, (2) development of life-cycle model and analytical tools, and (3) direct data collection and measure of environmental impacts of manufacturing. Besides the theoretical outcomes recommendations are given considering further recycling and recovery of materials so as to provide further direction for sustainability research in carbon and glass fibre composites.