German automotive manufacturer Audi has started mass producing radiator grilles with recycled content for the first time.
The grilles incorporate 27% recycled content consisting of a blend of polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Audi is incorporating them in the new Audi A3 Sportback and Audi A3 Sedan.
Germany-based compounder of thermoplastics Mocom and Winning Plastics, a Czech manufacturer of plastic parts for the automotive industry, partnered to produce the recycled material for Audi.
“Developing and producing radiator grilles with recycled content was an exciting process”, said Werner Meschitz, head of innovations at Winning Plastics. “Suitable recyclates were not available off-the-shelf, so together with our partner Mocom, we developed a recycled compound that partially incorporates painted scrap components from our own production. Standard recycling methods for scrap parts leave too many contaminants and paint residues, making it impossible to reuse the material in a new radiator grille. However, Mocom’s innovative process, particularly in paint removal, ensures the required purity of the recyclate, enabling a closed-loop recycling system,” he added.
The team at Winning Plastics used painted radiator grilles with purely cosmetic defects, such as dust inclusions, as its post-industrial feedstock. After shredding, the material is grinded in a hammer mill designed by Mocom. Friction from the repeated blows of small hammers removes the paint which is then discarded. The resulting PC and PET compound is then further processed into regranulate. After melt filtration during the extrusion step, the recyclate is then ready to be blended with virgin material.
“Our unique technologies enabled us to create a high-quality plastic compound with recycled content that meets the stringent requirements for manufacturing radiator grilles,” said Thomas Marquardt, managing director of sales, marketing & development at Wipag, a Mocom subsidiary. “The successful integration of recyclates in automotive plastic components opens up new opportunities for the entire automotive industry.”
Since the European Commission updated its Directive on end-of-life vehicles, setting a 25% recycled plastic mandate for vehicles placed on the market from July 2023, automotive brands and members of the plastic industry value chain have accelerated their efforts to transition to a circular economy for automotive parts. Dow, Borealis, Covestro, and Aimplas, for example, have all announced projects to increase the use of recycled materials in the automotive industry.