Lean manufacturing, together with the trend toward the design and manufacture of lighter weight vehicles, has required designers and engineers to seek out and find new materials and applications to solve design challenges in the auto manufacturing industry. Adhesive tapes can and do provide highly effective and efficient bonding solutions for auto assembly processes.
Fast & Efficient
Not only are adhesive tapes more successful for bonding contemporary materials, they are also faster and easier to apply compared with more traditional fastening methods, such as screws, rivets, and welds. Assemblies bonded with adhesives do not require holes to be punched or drilled. The use of modern adhesives eliminates the need to measure torque or double check fastening operations in the assembly process.
Increased Efficiency = Reduced Cost
Custom die cut adhesive tapes are easier to apply and are more cost-efficient, ultimately making the use of adhesive tapes in auto assemblies a less expensive option than other types of bonding processes. Tape suppliers with conversion capability can produce adhesive tape products that have been die-cut to very precise specifications for bonding:
- Upholstery
- Console detailing
- Airbag components,
- Backlit graphics for instrument panels
- Emblems
- Weather stripping
- Any application needing a strong, yet light-weight bond
Strong Bonds in Less Time – Even for Challenging Surfaces
The bonding of metal to glass (such as attaching a rearview mirror to a windshield) is an example of a challenging surface application. To meet the challenge, 3M offers a structural adhesive film that presses firmly into place, and produces (at 450° F) a tough yet flexible bond in approximately 30 seconds. This fast application means assembly times are shorter and production moves faster.
Adhesive tapes are also suited to vehicle exterior bonding challenges. Structural bonding tapes used with certain adhesives are effective for attaching plastic or metal clips to painted or primed body panels. The adhesive is cured with heat to provide structural strength. The need to stamp holes or form upturned flanges in the sheet metal is eliminated.
To learn more about how adhesive tapes are meeting challenges in the automotive industry, download our free guide, Automotive Solutions with Adhesive Tape.
