engleski

Aluminium waste reduction in automotive composite weather strip seal manufacturing

Motivated with both ecological and economic benefits this paper summarizes how aluminium industrial waste was returned into the production without conventional recycling and melting. Aluminium usage in the automotive industry is on the rise and aluminium recycling is very important due to the energy savings and reduced CO2 emission compared with primary aluminium production. Paper presents how residual aluminium waste for automotive composite weather strip seal was joined with low-cost soldering procedure and returned to the manufacturing process. Aluminium waste material was in form of strips which enter the production process in roll forming stage followed by polymer extrusion process around formed aluminium profile. Because of requirement to preserve 0.4 mm aluminium strip thickness due to the extrusion tool geometry and fine tolerances, butt and scarf soldering joint configurations were chosen. This method enabled joining residual aluminium waste strips in order to preserve manufacturing process continuity and prevent high-cost process interruption. While conventional thin aluminium strips recycling leads to increased materials and energy losses and involves subsequent costly and complex strip production this approach has multiple advantages. Production process is more economical, energy and materials savings are significant which brings increased profit in the production industry. Soldered joints were evaluated with tensile test and proven in actual manufacturing conditions.

Aluminium recycling ; Weather strip seal ; Soldering ; Waste re-use

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