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• Eco-design in Automotive through 'Material Matrix Assessment': Use Case in the Salient Project

  R. Ledo, A. Tielas, V. Ventosinos, M. Moldes, D. García

  Materiales Compuestos (2025). Vol. 09 - Comunicaciones MatComp25 (2025), (Núm. 2 - Reciclaje y Sostenibilidad), 50

  
  

  Abstract

  Eco-design in the automotive sector integrates environmental considerations into the product development process to minimize impact throughout the vehicle’s entire life cycle. This approach addresses aspects such as resource efficiency, emission reduction, and end-of-life options (recycling, reuse, etc.). In recent years, eco-design has gained relevance due to increasing regulations and growing user awareness of sustainability. However, its implementation is often based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a complex and demanding method during early design phases, as it requires detailed data to deliver reliable comparative results. This can delay the development time of new components—a critical parameter in the automotive industry. To overcome this limitation, CTAG has developed its own methodology, the Material Matrix Assessment, which enables rapid preliminary analysis of multiple designs without requiring detailed specifications. This qualitative methodology can identify designs with the highest environmental potential using key metrics selected by a multidisciplinary team. Each category is scored and weighted according to its relevance, resulting in an overall score for each design concept. The Material Matrix Assessment was successfully applied in the European SALIENT project, using a front-end structure as a use case. In addition to facilitating the selection of the design with the lowest environmental footprint from the earliest stages of development, the methodology also enabled a system weight reduction of over 40%.

  Abstract
  Eco-design in the automotive sector integrates environmental considerations into the product development process to minimize impact throughout the vehicle’s entire life [...]

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