Yamaha’s recycled aluminum breakthrough targets 47,000-tonne annual CO2 reduction
The image used in this article is generated with an AI tool and does not depict any real-time moment.
Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. will progressively replace conventional virgin aluminum with recycled aluminum alloy in its proprietary all-aluminum DiASil Cylinders, marking a move to recycled materials in a high-performance motorcycle component.
Once the transition is completed across all products using DiASil Cylinders, targeted for 2030, Yamaha estimates that the switch will reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 47,000 tonnes annually.
The transition will initially begin with commuter motorcycle models produced in Indonesia before a planned global rollout.
Recycled aluminum meets DiASil requirements
The DiASil Cylinder is an all-aluminum cylinder design that requires neither an iron sleeve nor plating. Yamaha Motor developed and deployed the technology in 2002 and uses it across a range of motorcycle and scooter models.
The cylinder offers wear resistance, seizure resistance, and heat dissipation, while also reducing weight, improving recyclability, and lowering manufacturing costs.
Join the fourth edition of webinar "Hedging for recyclers - Become an expert in 6 hours" by Jorge Dyszel.
Until now, Yamaha has used virgin aluminum alloy for the cylinders because conventional recycled materials can contain trace impurities that make it difficult to meet the required standards for metal microstructure, surface properties, and corrosion resistance.
Yamaha began developing a recycled aluminum alloy with characteristics comparable to virgin aluminum that could be used with the same production processes.
The company used thermodynamic calculations for material design, followed by repeated bench testing and vehicle evaluations. Yamaha said the recycled alloy met all functional requirements, allowing it to move the material into practical use.
Yamaha targets sustainable aluminum by 2030
The DiASil Cylinder transition forms part of Yamaha Motor Group’s broader environmental strategy.
Under its Yamaha Motor Group Environmental Plan 2050, the company is targeting carbon neutrality throughout its entire supply chain by 2050.
As part of this strategy, Yamaha aims to switch 100 per cent of the aluminum raw materials used in its own manufacturing to sustainable alternatives by 2030.
The recycled aluminum alloy for DiASil Cylinders is one of the measures supporting that target, allowing Yamaha to expand the use of recycled material without changing the cylinder’s established production processes or functional requirements.
Looking for secondary aluminium? Explore a wide range of aluminium scrap and recycled aluminium products from global suppliers on AL Biz.
Grow with
AL Circle
