Background 

The circular economy in the automotive sector is based on the 4R strategy (Repair, Reuse, Remanufacture, Recycle) and today represents a strategic way to reduce waste, energy consumption, and dependence on critical raw materials, in line with European decarbonization policies. The main Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are investing in dedicated facilities for end-of-life vehicle management, integrating dismantling, remanufacturing, and recycling activities. However, the high variability of used components still limits process automation and overall supply chain efficiency. 

To address these challenges, the automotive industry is increasingly adopting advanced casting processes aimed at producing more integrated geometries, reducing the number of components and assembly operations, with benefits in terms of lightweighting, cost reduction, and structural performance. At the same time, interest is growing in low-silicon aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) alloys to improve performance and sustainability, as well as in the use of recycled material to reduce the environmental footprint of European foundry processes and enhance supply chain autonomy. Aluminum recycling enables energy savings of up to 95% compared to primary production, with a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions. Nevertheless, end-of-life component management still faces challenges in quality control and material separation, affecting scrap valorization and recycled material quality. Recycled aluminum is characterized by higher impurity levels, particularly iron, leading to the formation of intermetallic phases that negatively impact component quality and mechanical performance. Innovative solutions based on microalloying elements show promising preliminary results by modifying the morphology of these intermetallic compounds. However, industrial-scale validation at both process and component level is still required. 

Objectives and industrial applications

Within this framework, the NAARA project represents pioneering research aimed at transferring these solutions to an industrial scale and validating them on real components and automotive manufacturing processes.

NAARA seeks to enhance the circularity of the entire end-of-life aluminum component value chain by integrating the 4R strategy with advanced secondary and urban mining practices, focused on recovering high-value materials from industrial and urban waste streams while reducing reliance on virgin raw materials. This is pursued through the development of advanced diagnostic systems, including machine learning tools for defect recognition and classification, ensuring objectivity, repeatability, and efficiency in the assessment phase. The project also aims to optimize disassembly and critical material separation processes by developing flexible workstations based on collaborative robotics and operator support tools. 

From a metallurgical perspective, NAARA focuses on the development of sustainable Al-Si alloys (particularly AlSi7 and AlSi10) formulated with up to 100% secondary scrap, intended for the main automotive casting processes, namely high pressure die casting (HPDC), low pressure die casting (LPDC), and gravity casting (GC). The objective is to increase iron tolerance levels in order to significantly expand the use of recycled aluminum, reducing the environmental footprint by up to 95% compared to primary material. Validation on real components and industrial case studies is central to the project, in order to demonstrate direct applicability in large-scale production environments. The potential application of these sustainable alloys will also be explored in sectors beyond automotive.