Artificial intelligence for sustainable materials industry: launching of favia projet
MATERI’ACT, FORVIA’s sustainable materials subsidiary, unveils NAFILean Vision, a groundbreaking advancement in sustainable bio composites for injection technology in the automotive industry. Building on the success of NAFILean-R, a recyclable bio composite made from recycled plastics reinforced with 20% hemp fibers, this new material family not only meets stringent performance standards but also enhances aesthetic quality by making biomass visible, setting a new benchmark for eco-friendly and visually appealing automotive parts.
A new era of visible green technology
NAFILean Vision is the newest addition to the NAFILean family, well known for incorporating sustainable materials in over 10 million vehicles globally. This innovative bio composite blends low carbon recycled plastics from post-consumer sources with renewable biomass, such as hemp, wood, reed, vine shoots, and even oyster shells, which help sequester CO2.
NAFILean Vision maximizes the decarbonization of plastics and introduces them to visible automotive parts.
The variety of biomass fillers enables the creation of a wide range of visible sustainable materials, with rich aspects that reflect their nature and origin in a wide variety of colors, grains, depth, and high perceived quality textures. Unlike traditional materials that might require additional processing, NAFILean Vision can be used in a one-shot injection process, eliminating the need for post-processing, like deco painting or film, leading to further reductions in CO2 emissions and costs. It incorporates up to 25% biomass, carefully selected for its high potential to sequestrate carbon emissions and can be combined with specially developed coloring technologies to meet the advanced Color Material and Finish (CMF) requirements of automotive OEMs.
Setting a new standard for visible sustainability
Life Cycle Assessments demonstrates an impressive reduction in carbon foot-print by up to 75%, establishing NAFILean Vision as a leader in sustainable material solutions for the automotive industry.
Entirely recyclable, it also sup-ports a circular economy and minimizes waste. This innovation was showcased in a concept car in its ocean bound recycled plastics variation, featuring a unique blend of 10% renewable oyster shell particles and 20% recycled plastics, collected by MATERI’ACT ecosystem partner Plastic Odyssey. It received an enthusiastic response from automotive OEMs and paved the way to serial application in the future.
Unlocking creative potential
Long-awaited by automotive designers, our visible version of the NAFILean bio composite is now available.
Beyond the sustainability benefits, it offers enhanced creative flexibility and streamlined development processes with tools like 3D digital surfaces and comprehensive design and process guidelines. It aligns with current design trends and allows for innovative, environmentally conscious automotive interior designs.
“NAFILean Vision takes the high performance of NAFILean-R to a new level with advanced decorative effects. It provides an appealing and ready-to-use solution that combines mechanical strength with aesthetic excellence, supporting a seamless transition to more sustainable practices in the automotive industry. Collaborations with automotive designers have demonstrated that NAFILean Vision is not only highly attractive but also easy to implement.” Elise MOREAU, President of MATERI’ACT
Key figures & features
- Up to 25% Renewable content
- Use of mechanical recycled material from post-consumer wastes up to 75% reduction in CO2 emissions according to life cycle assessments.
- Visible: Elevating automotive design with advanced decorative effects.
- Entirely recyclable: Supporting a circular economy and minimizing waste.
- Cost reductions: Visual effects obtained by standard injection technology without post-processing operations.
