Process information
| Key Data Set Information | |||
| Location | DE | ||
| Reference year | 2023 | ||
| Name |
| ||
| Use advice for data set | Scope: The EPD is based on annual production data for 2020 at the Gundelfingen site. System boundary: The analysis is designed as a cradle-to-gate with options approach. In particular, the production from the raw materials to the finished product (cradle-to-gate) is taken into account. In addition, the expenses for recycling are included for disposal at the end of the life cycle. Any credits incurred for the secondary product from material recycling are shown separately. The transport of the profiles ex works, any further processing as well as installation, dismantling and return transport are not included in the analysis. The following aluminium profile production processes are taken into account in modules A1–A3: Provision of raw, ancillary and operating materials and energy Transport of materials to the plant and removal of residual materials Disposal of residual materials Directly occurring emissions Particular attention is paid to: the external production of purchased aluminium billets, profiles and ingots the manufacturing processes of the aluminium profiles in the plant – depending on the aluminium profile product class, including surface finishing and mechanical post-processing the consumption of other operating materials (tools, cleaning agents, industrial gases) the consumption of packaging materials (foils, cardboard, steel straps and wooden pallets) the assumption of closed-loop recycling in the melting furnace for the aluminium production waste generated at the site (direct reuse as raw material possible, as the scrap does not suffer any loss of quality) The following figure schematically shows the sub-processes considered for A1 to A3: remelting, extrusion, anodising and surface coating. This analysis is supplemented with data on the remaining overall operation. Five types of aluminium profiles are produced at the Gundelfingen site: mill-finished, anodised, powder-coated, thermally-broken and mechanically processed. Due to the low environmental impact of the packaging, its disposal is not taken into account in Module A5. At the end of the life cycle of the aluminium profiles, the following processes are taken into account for the disposal stage: C3: Shredding of the aluminium scrap. The end-of-waste property is reached after shredding. D: The shredded scrap is remelted into secondary aluminium. The environmental credit for the net scrap quantity is offset against the expenses saved by substituting primary aluminium. | ||
| Technical purpose of product or process | Due to their versatile properties, aluminium profiles can be used in a wide variety of areas. In the construction sector, aluminium profiles can be used for the production of facades, windows, doors, substructures etc.; in the automotive industry, for example, as frames for sliding roofs or as roof rails; and in mechanical engineering, for example, as pneumatic profiles. | ||
| Classification |
Class name
:
Hierarchy level
| ||
| General comment on data set | The aluminium profiles produced are primarily used in the construction industry, mechanical engineering, the automotive industry, electrical engineering and medical technology. The starting materials are aluminium alloys made from the light metal aluminium (Al) and various alloying elements such as silicon, manganese, iron, magnesium etc. Depending on customer requirements, the aluminium profiles can be supplied surface-treated (anodised or powder-coated), mechanically-processed and/or thermally-broken. | ||
| Copyright | Yes | ||
| Owner of data set | |||
| Quantitative reference | |||
| Reference flow(s) |
| ||
| Time representativeness | |||
| Data set valid until | 2028 | ||
| Technological representativeness | |||
| Technology description including background system | Heating in the billet furnace: The aluminium billet is heated to 460 °C to 530 °C to enable the metal to reach its plastic state. Extrusion moulding: In an extrusion plant, the heated aluminium billet is pressed through a preheated pressing tool with pressing forces of over 10 MN. This produces the various contours of the aluminium profiles agreed with the customer. Cooling the aluminium profiles: The profiles produced are cooled directly after extrusion. There are various options for this: air, water or spray mist. Cooling the aluminium profiles affects the strength of the product, among other things. Stretching the aluminium profiles: After extrusion and cooling, the aluminium profiles are stretched. The profiles are usually stretched beyond their elastic limit and thus straightened. Cutting the aluminium profiles to length: The aluminium profiles are cut to length to meet customer requirements using a cold saw. Artificial ageing: Subsequent heat treatment of the aluminium profiles in artificial ageing furnaces (different temperature ranges with coordinated duration) ensures that the required mechanical properties are achieved. Surface treatment: Surface treatment of the aluminium profiles (coating with powder paint or electrical oxidation, i.e. anodising) ensures that the appearance and corrosion requirements meet the customer's demands. Thermal breaking: Building profiles in particular must fulfil high thermal requirements. This is achieved by separating or connecting the inner and outer profiles with one or more plastic bars (with or without additional insulation between the inner and outer profiles). Mechanical processing: Using state-of-the-art equipment, all mechanical processing operations agreed with the customer are carried out on the aluminium profiles so that they can be used by the customer as planned. Remelting production scrap: The production scrap incurred during the manufacture of aluminium profiles is remelted directly on site in a remelting plant at approx. 750 °C. The extrusion billets produced in this way are reused in the existing extrusion lines. This ensures a closed scrap cycle at the site, combined with all the energy benefits. Packaging: Customised packaging of the aluminium profiles takes place at the end of the production process. The aluminium profiles are then ready for dispatch. All processes relating to the production of aluminium profiles and the remelting of the resulting profile remnants are monitored by certified quality management systems (e.g. ISO 9001, IATF 16949 etc.) with regard to qualitative product requirements in accordance with standards. Technical data: Physical properties of aluminium: Declared unit: The declared unit refers to aluminium profiles produced by Gartner Extrusion GmbH in Gundelfingen, Germany. This EPD specifies the declared unit as 1 kg of aluminium profiles in the anodised finishing stage. | ||
Modelling and validation
| Subtype | average dataset | ||||
| LCA methodology report | |||||
| Data sources, treatment and representativeness | |||||
| Documentation of data quality management | |||||
| Data source(s) used for this data set | |||||
| Completeness | |||||
| Validation | |||||
| |||||
| Compliance Declarations | |||||
| Compliance |
Compliance system name
|
Approval of overall compliance
|
Nomenclature compliance
|
Methodological compliance
|
Review compliance
|
Documentation compliance
|
Quality compliance
|
| Compliance |
Compliance system name
|
Approval of overall compliance
|
Nomenclature compliance
|
Methodological compliance
|
Review compliance
|
Documentation compliance
|
Quality compliance
|
Administrative information
| Commissioner and goal | |
| Commissioner of data set | |
| Data generator | |
| Data set generator / modeller | |
| Data entry by | |
| Time stamp (last saved) | 2023-12-14T00:00:00 |
| Data set format(s) | |
| Publication and ownership | |
| UUID | 0fce4138-43f8-4886-975a-59be3b1c3e6b |
| Data set version | 00.03.000 |
| Registration authority | |
| Registration number | EPD-GAR-20230469-IBA1-DE |
| Owner of data set | |
| Copyright | Yes |
| License type | Free of charge for all users and uses |
| Access and use restrictions | None |
Environmental indicators
Indicators of life cycle