The move to adhesive bonding
With thousands of components used in the assembly of vehicles, it’s no surprise manufacturers need bonding solutions that help to reduce weight, offer easier bonding to substrates, and provide greater structural strength.
Mechanical fastening and welding were once the dominant agents for fixing, but since the move to plastic and composite materials, they are not always suitable. In addition, they add weight, can be unsightly, and risk vibrating loose or cracking.
Adhesives, whilst being much lighter than fasteners, also help to rigidify individual components and assembled vehicles, with mechanical stress being evenly distributed along the full length of the bond. This eliminates weak points around rivets or fixings - a problem for all materials but specifically plastics – allowing for thinner, and again lighter materials to be used. Adhesives may also be used to add strength in specific areas or to further reinforce other functional fasteners.
Viscoelasticity, thixotropy and gap-filling properties with adhesives also provide the perfect solution for an increasingly complex array of material combinations and design conundrums.
Adhesives for an extensive range of applications
Beardow Adams offers adhesives in a variety of technologies to suit virtually every application in automotive manufacturing:
Insulation and sound damping
Our Pressen™ pressure sensitive adhesives deliver outstanding performance for insulation and film lamination, self-adhesive coatings of insulation materials, foam bonding and assembly, acoustic and vibration damping membranes, self-adhesive coil isolators, water shedders, and gasketing.
Component assembly
Designed for demanding component assembly applications, Prodas™ adhesives’ broad adhesion range is ideally suited for headlamps, clips and fasteners, interior panelling, as well as heavy layer lamination, and textile and non-woven bonding.
Flooring and interiors
Water-based Prodacoll™ adhesives are engineered to bond PVC flooring, most plastics, wood, leather and synthetic leather, textiles, cotton fibres or wood fibres primarily for interior applications. They are used worldwide by bus, train, tram, caravan and motorhome manufacturers.
Gaining the edge with Beardow Adams adhesives
Continuous development of our hot melt, water-based, solvent, and pressure sensitive adhesives means customers benefit from products that offer the necessary adhesive strength, high initial tack, suitability to various material combinations, as well as excellent heat and climate resistance, that manufacturers require.
As well as providing value-adding performance, including products that are flame retardant and available with UV stabilisers or fluorescers to aid production efficiency and reduce waste product.
Switching to our adhesives could not be easier, with an expert team on hand to guide customers throughout the entire journey, from initial audit and assessment, grade suggestions and development of custom products, to the supply of free samples and full support throughout the production line changeover. As well as continued, on-hand technical support should you need it.
Get in touch to find out how our adhesives can help your business improve its performance, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge.