2022 Annual Meeting
(667a) The Drive for Greener Materials and Sustainability Leadership
Author
Debbie F Mielewski - Presenter, Ford Motor Company
Since the first laboratory success and implementation of soy-based foam 15 years ago, the Ford sustainable materials research team has been expanding the use of industry-first, sustainable plastic materials in vehicles. Additional successes have been around natural fiber-reinforced composites such as wheat straw, rice hulls, and cellulose fiber from trees, which have been found to meet all of the stringent requirements of automotive components while significantly reducing weight and environmental impact. Many times, weâve discovered that natural materials exceed the performance of traditional plastic composite materials, having higher heat, vibration, or sound-absorbing performance. Realizing the importance of establishing a circular economy, weâve intensified our search for industrial partnerships to utilize waste streams in value-added automotive applications. In 2019, Ford with partner McDonaldâs was the first to launch coffee chaff reinforced plastic on the headlamp housings of the Lincoln Continental. The material saved 1 pound per vehicle and had a 20oC higher heat performance, a perfect material enhancement match for heat-generating bulbs. And during the pandemic, Ford and partner HP launched an industry-first injection molded part made from 3d printing waste powder. Last year, Ford introduced parts made from 100% ocean fishing nets on the Ford Bronco as a response to address ocean plastic accumulation. During her talk, Dr. Mielewski will discuss the broad portfolio of greener materials available now and those anticipated for the future that can not only reduce the automotive industryâs footprint but many other industries as well.