High-Performing Adhesive Bonding Fastening Technique For Automotive Body Structures

In modern vehicle construction the search for means of weight reduction, improving durability, increasing comfort and raising body stiffness are issues of priority to the design engineer. The intelligent usage of many materials such as high strength steel, light-alloys and plastics enables a significant vehicle weight reduction to be achieved. The classical joining techniques used in the automobile industry need to be newly-evaluated since they often do not present workable solutions for such mixed-material connections, for example aluminium/steel. Calculation/simulation methods have made progress as a key factor for broader and more cost-effective implementation of structural bonding. This will lead to reduction of spotwelds and accelerate the car development. A special focus of the paper is the use of high strength steel grades. It will be shown that adhesive bonding is a key tool for yielding the potential of advanced high strength steel for low gauging without compromising the stiffness. The latest status of adhesive development has been described. Improvements with physical strength and glass temperature as well as of process relevant properties are shown. Also the situation regarding occupational hygiene is treated, showing that by further spotweld point reduction the emission around the working area can be even lowered against the current praxis. High performing lightweight design cannot longer do without high performing crash durable adhesives.