Recycling in the Automotive Industry

Maximizing efficiency,
while reducing development times

Audi, one of the most successful car makers in history, needed to look within if they wanted to move towards a more sustainable path within the industry. With the excess amounts of plastic packaging, 3devo’s Shr3d It plastic shredder, AIRID Polymer Dryer, and Precision 450 Filament, have helped Audi repurpose their plastic waste into 3D printed tools that assist their employees in their day-to-day tasks.

As part of their initiative to strengthen and expand their recycling efforts, luxury automotive brand Audi has been exploring the “chemical recycling of plastics from automotive manufacturing,’’ in ways that are both environmentally and financially viable. Their ‘’Mission: Zero’’ project seeks to encourage minimal or closed-loop usage of plastics, as a step towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2025. The primary challenge was to achieve this without compromising automotive component quality.

After identifying key areas where plastic use and wastage are maximum at most of their sites, Audi saw the potential for a closed-loop plastic usage cycle and purchased 3devo’s full set of three machines. The Shr3d It shredder, Airid dryer and Precision 450 filament maker created an eco-system that could utilize unneeded plastics in a circular manner. This arrangement allowed Audi to evolve a plan for minimizing its usage of new plastics and bringing ‘’Mission: Zero’’ closer to implementation.

• Established Three-Step Solution
  Audi’s new in-house 3D printing setup facilitated by the full 3devo’s solution allows for excess plastic to be reused and made into new parts and tools assisting in onsite manufacturing.
• A Step Closer to their Mission:Zero Goal
  Within just a few months, Audi’s A7 and A6 models have components that have been put together with the recycled plastic 3D printed tools.
• Reducing Carbon Footprint and Production Costs
  With their new circular process, not only is Audi leading the way for other car manufacturers to reuse what they already have and reduce their carbon footprint, but now the cost of production has reduced due to not having to purchase additional tools! Saving resources that can be used to further Mission:Zero.