Recycle and Reuse

There is a huge amount of aluminium in the aviation sector that has the potential to be recycled for use in new aircraft interiors. DOY Design supported the development of a monocoque aluminium seatback which is made from 100% recycled aluminium supplied by Gränges Konin S.A. The seatback was engineered and manufactured by Impression Technologies using their HFQ process.

DOY Design is working with Tony Seville from AIRA (Aircraft Interiors Recycling Association) to understand the opportunities to recycle aviation aluminium and significantly reduce the carbon footprint of new product. Using our ultra-slim 6.4kg economy seat as the baseline we are identifying material and design choices to develop a seat with an ultra-low carbon footprint.

AIRA states that “the recycling process of aluminium uses 95% less energy than primary aluminium and only creates 0.6 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of aluminium produced, which results from scrap collection, transport, sorting and remelting. This process can be repeated forever.”

Designers, engineers and manufacturers need to balance several requirements when specifying materials for new cabin products. By working with our customers and the supplier base to develop opportunities to use recycled materials we must be able to make far better use of the waste materials already in existence.

Demand and supply need to align to build a sustainable business case but the opportunity and will is there…

Tony Seville (Aircraft Interiors Recycling Association) and Gary Doy (Doy Design) with the Doy Ultra Slim Seat (showing both the carbon and metal seat back options)