Quantifying Life Cycle Environmental Impact of Emerging Aluminum High-Pressure Die Cast (HPDC) Mega-Castings Replacing Stamped Steel Solutions

Over the last few years, there has been an uptick in the exploration and implementation of aluminum high-pressure die casting (HPDC) mega-castings as replacements for conventional stamped steel parts in vehicles. This trend is expected to increase with common justifications, including claims of reduced costs and lower environmental impacts associated with the replacement of dozens of individual parts with a single casted piece, along with reduced demands on associated tooling and machinery. However, the data and literature to support these claims are limited and at times contradictory, with some studies showing increased costs and energy demands for mega-casting technologies. This study presents the results of a literature review and a gate-to-gate life cycle inventory (LCI) adapted from conventional HPDC aluminum casting unit processes that may be used to quantify potential life cycle global warming potential (GWP), cumulative energy demand (CED), and other environmental impacts of aluminum mega-castings. A set of cradle-to-gate example calculations is also provided to demonstrate the application of the inventory and significance of the findings, which point to significantly higher GWP and CED for aluminum mega-castings versus stamped steel parts and warrant further study to inform vehicle design decision makers.