Mazda Develops World's First Automatic Bumper Recycling Process

Mazda Motor Corp., one of Japan's leading automakers, announced on March 23, 2009, that it has developed the world's first processing technology to recycle disposed bumpers into raw plastic resin for use in new vehicle bumpers. The new technology enhances recycling efficiency by enabling concurrent recycling of used bumpers from different manufacturers and automating processes to remove metal attachments that were initially thought to be difficult.

The conventional process required visual inspection and manual removal of residual materials such as metal prior to crushing used bumpers. In collaboration with Satake Co., a local machinery maker in Hiroshima prefecture, Mazda automated this labor intensive process by employing a grain separator technology that shakes crushed bumper pellets and injects pressurized air to remove the residual materials.

The conventional process was also limited in removing coatings of different bumpers simultaneously because the composition of polypropylene plastic and the paint adhesive properties vary considerably depending on the model and manufacturing year of a vehicle. The new process employs a kneading machine which is similar to those used for processing foodstuffs and chemicals such as rubber and plastics. The machine applies a powerful shear force to the crushed bumper pellets, effectively stripping off the paint regardless of the plastic composition or paint properties.

Bumper-to-bumper recycling
http://www.mazda.com/mazdaspirit/env/recycle/
bumper2.html

Posted: 2009/07/24 06:00:15 AM

TAG Manufacturing industry , Material reduction