Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) event took place  on September 6-8, 2023 in Novi, MI, USA.  

The conference theme was “Composites: The Key to Electric Vehicles - Auto & Air Mobility" and included three days of presentations and posters highlighting how the automotive and transportation industries are advancing with composited playing a key role in the development of electric vehicles and sustainability initiatives worldwide. 

Program

Presenting authors included:

Hugh MacFarlane : "Sustainable Lightweight Biocomposites from Engineering Plastic and Hemp-Hurd Pyrolyzed Biocarbon" (poster) - 2^nd place poster  award in the undergraduate category.

Zavier Blackman : Lightweight, High-Performance and Flame-Retardant Sustainable Composites from Nylon 6,6 and Basalt Fiber for Electric Vehicle Parts Uses (poster).

Prof. Manjusri Mishra : Upcycling Waste Biomass and Ocean-Recycled Plastics through Fused Deposition Modeling (oral).

Dr. Arturo Rodriguez : Green Composites from Hop Natural Fiber and Bioplastic (oral).

Prof. Amar Mohanty was a panelist in the PANEL DISCUSSION: Sustainability and End of Vehicle Life. 

Panel Moderators: Christoph Kuhn (Volkswagen of America, Inc.), Sara Simon (Forward Engineering North America)

Panelists: Eric Walker (Honda), Kari Bliss (PADNOS), David Wagger (ISRI), Mehdi Tajvidi (University of Maine), Amar Mohanty (University of Guelph), Dan Dowdall (INEOS)