Composites One
Published

EuCIA announces addition of new carbon fiber data to Eco Impact Calculator

The European Composites Industry Association’s Eco Impact Calculator is a free life cycle assessment tool to calculate a composite part’s ecological footprint.

Share

 

stabilization of carbon fiber at Institut fur Textiltechnik

Stabilization of carbon fiber at the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University. Source | ITA-RWTH

 

The European Composites Industry Association (EuCIA, Brussels, Belgium) has announced the addition of new carbon fiber data to its Eco Impact Calculator, an online tool that enables composites companies to calculate the environmental impact associated with the production of their products.

The Eco Impact Calculator is available free of charge at http://ecocalculator.eucia.eu, and is a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool that is regularly updated to incorporate materials and process advances. The inclusion of this new carbon fiber data follows the addition of data on core materials and thermoplastic conversion processes last year.

EuCIA was prompted to develop an LCA for carbon fiber following a survey of industry, academia and other stakeholders. This LCA for industrial-grade carbon fiber, released in late 2018, was based on an in-depth study of available literature and data for polyacrylonitrile (PAN) available in the ecoinvent 3.1 database. This work was carried out in cooperation with EY Climate Change and Sustainability Services in the Netherlands (EY CCaSS). In a recent cooperation, experiment-based data produced by the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University, Germany, and EuCIA’s study were thoroughly reviewed and EuCIA’s initial LCA data adjusted to reflect actual experience of the PAN to carbon fiber conversion efficiency. Both data sets, initial and new, are now available to Eco Calculator users.

EuCIA’s Eco Calculator calculates the eco footprint of composites parts using a transparent and uniform sector methodology for processes following ISO 14.040/044. The Eco Calculator calculates the environmental impact of products from cradle to gate, including the raw materials, transport, processing and waste generation up to the point of sale. The calculation of consecutive manufacturing processes is possible as well as modified materials. Users do not need any in-depth knowledge of LCA techniques to use the tool and the data can be exported in the form of an Eco Report to allow full life cycle LCA calculations.

The Eco Calculator incorporates a pre-defined set of materials and processes, based on data EuCIA has collected over the past four years. Users are also able to enter their own data to generate a more precise result for their individual products and processes. The materials and processes included in the tool are under continuous review for quality and consistency, and new data is regularly added to extend and improve its scope and accuracy.

“Carbon fiber-reinforced composites have attracted a lot of attention as a lightweight material for replacing heavier parts in the transport sector,” says Tim Röding, group leader of Carbon Fibre Research Group, Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of the RWTH Aachen University. “Making airplanes and vehicles lighter is a very important step that can contribute to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the production of carbon fibers involves very energy-intensive processes. To fully understand the energy-saving effect of carbon fibers and their composites, reliable life cycle assessment data for the entire process chain are indispensable.”

“EuCIA believes that sustainability will be a key driver in the future development of the composites industry worldwide,” says Roberto Frassine, president of EuCIA. “We would like to thank ITA-RWTH for their help in developing this new carbon fiber data for the Eco Calculator and we welcome the industry’s feedback. We invite organizations wishing to contribute to the further development of the Eco Calculator to contact EuCIA.”

EuCIA’s sustainability experts will be available to discuss this new data in more detail at JEC World 2020 in Paris on 3-5 March.

world leader in braiding technology
Toray Advanced Composites hi-temperature materials
Custom Quantity Composite Repair Materials
Composites One
Gurit Advanced Composite Materials & Solutions
Keyland Polymer Webinar Coatings on Composite & AM
Harper International Carbon Fiber
BARRDAY PREPREG
Eliminate Quality Escapes  With LASERVISION AI
Visual of lab with a yellow line
CIJECT machines and monitoring systems
Alpha’s Premier ESR®

Related Content

Automation

ASCEND program update: Designing next-gen, high-rate auto and aerospace composites

GKN Aerospace, McLaren Automotive and U.K.-based partners share goals and progress aiming at high-rate, Industry 4.0-enabled, sustainable materials and processes.

Read More
Automotive

Thermoset-thermoplastic joining, natural fibers enable sustainability-focused brake cover

Award-winning motorcycle brake disc cover showcases potential for KTM Technologies’ Conexus joining technology and flax fiber composites.

Read More
Aerospace

Plant tour: Middle River Aerostructure Systems, Baltimore, Md., U.S.

The historic Martin Aircraft factory is advancing digitized automation for more sustainable production of composite aerostructures.

Read More
Sustainability

Natural fiber composites: Growing to fit sustainability needs

Led by global and industry-wide sustainability goals, commercial interest in flax and hemp fiber-reinforced composites grows into higher-performance, higher-volume applications.

Read More

Read Next

Filament Winding

CFRP planing head: 50% less mass, 1.5 times faster rotation

Novel, modular design minimizes weight for high-precision cutting tools with faster production speeds.  

Read More
Design/Simulation

Modeling and characterization of crushable composite structures

How the predictive tool “CZone” is applied to simulate the axial crushing response of composites, providing valuable insights into their use for motorsport applications.

Read More
CAMX

VIDEO: High-rate composites production for aerospace

Westlake Epoxy’s process on display at CAMX 2024 reduces cycle time from hours to just 15 minutes.

Read More
Ready-to-Ship Composites