Toward a Circular Economy in Deep Drawing: Remanufacturing End-of-Life Automotive Parts

Recycling aluminium typically involves energy-intensive melting processes. This study presents a more sustainable approach by directly remanufacturing deep-drawn parts from end-of-life aluminium automotive components. We used aluminium engine hoods as a source material, beginning with assessment of alloy composition and tensile properties. Dismantling operations and the removal of coating and adhesive bonds were studied to prepare the material. The blanks were then processed through deep drawing using various forming strategies, namely warm forming and W temper forming. The maximum draw depth achieved was 22 and 30 %, respectively, lower than with virgin sheet material, and surface quality was notably inferior. Despite these limitations, the findings highlight the feasibility of re-forming aluminium automotive scrap into deep-drawn components for specific applications, such as non-visible parts. Our approach aligns with circular economy goals, conserving resources, reducing carbon emissions, and maintaining material quality for demanding applications.