Design of Automotive Air Vents Using Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Materials with Structural Analysis in ANSYS

Over the last few years, there has been a exponential increase in the use of sustainable and eco-friendly materials in the automobile industry, especially for vehicle components. This paper focuses on the designing of air vents of vehicles using sustainable materials and the analysis is done to assess the extent of reduction in environmental impact while maintaining functional and structural integrity. Materials such as bioplastics, natural fibers and recycled polymer are assessed for use on the basis of their strength, durability and manufacturability. They are chosen for their environmental advantages, lightweight properties, and potential to minimize the carbon footprint associated with vehicle design and use. Simulating the usage conditions of these materials was performed through surface tension and initial strain while the structure itself was analyzed with ANSYS, one of the most used engineering simulation software. The work included testing the air vents under different loaded conditions that included changes in temperature, changes in the pressure due to airflow and mechanical stress. It compares the performance of traditional plastic materials obtained using conventional methods with those obtained using sustainable methods on deformation, stress distribution, and fatigue life. The findings also underscore the potential of sustainable materials to replace plastics without sacrificing the safety or performance of automotive air vents. The incorporation of these materials also responds to broader goals in the automotive industry to reduce carbon footprints of vehicle materials as well as streamline vehicle recycling. This is a great evolution toward capturing more eco-conscious automotive landscapes.