A Sustainable Path for Automotive Composite Tooling: Novel Materials, Design, and Technologies Through FEM and LCA

In the automotive industry, the push for lightweighting, sustainability, and performance underpins the need for continuous improvement of materials and processes; thus, this research explores the introduction of different approaches for processing optimization. The Finite Element Method (FEM) excels at enhancing structural efficiency and reducing material use in composite tooling like stamping dies, while Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) quantifies environmental impacts over the product life cycle. Coupling these approaches is promising but challenging due to difficult integration into well-established industrial practices. In this framework, the study presents the combination of FEM-LCA analyses on a tool for a composite car bonnet, considering an industrial case. The reduction in weight (-85%) obtained through FEM topology optimization, along with novel materials (thermoplastic polymers) and processes (3D printing, internal recycling), results in an environmental impact reduction over the tooling process (-43% in climate change). The two analyses enable a holistic tool design that balances mechanical performance with reduced carbon footprint, aligning with the European regulatory framework and emission targets. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a coupled FEM-LCA approach to optimize composite tooling in the automotive context, with a positive prospect of full-scale integration into the industrial value chain.