Automotive adhesives are a driving force behind the development of safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly vehicles. These industrial adhesives play a crucial role in shaping the modern automotive industry, influencing everything from vehicle design and construction to performance and sustainability. Automotive adhesives provide strong, lightweight, and durable bonding solutions required to build long-lasting vehicles. 

In this blog, we will explore the importance of adhesives in automobile manufacturing, design, and innovation. We are going to cover the different types of adhesives used in the automotive industry, their numerous benefits, applications, and factors you should consider when using automotive adhesives.

 

A] Types Of Adhesives Used In The Automotive Sector

Let’s take a look at different types of automotive adhesive technologies and formulations that are commonly used across the industry.

1. Structural Adhesives

Structural adhesives are custom formulated to provide high-strength bonding and adhesion in the automotive sector. These adhesives offer exceptional load-bearing capabilities and can be used to join critical automotive components such as body panels, frames, and structural reinforcements. The use of structural adhesives in the automotive industry contributes to the strength and structural integrity of the vehicle.

2. Non-Structural Adhesive

In contrast to structural adhesives, non-structural adhesives are commonly used in automotive bonding applications that do not require high load-bearing capabilities. These automotive adhesives are used to attach trim pieces, emblems, weatherstrips, and other non-critical components. Despite the lack of high-loading bearing capabilities, they still offer good adhesion, flexibility, and resistance to environmental factors.

3. Heat-Cured Adhesives

Heat-cured adhesives are a special type of adhesives designed to achieve and sustain adhesion at elevated temperatures. These adhesives are often used in automotive manufacturing processes that involve baking or curing in ovens or autoclaves.

4. Room Temperature-Cured Adhesives

Room temperature-cured adhesives are adhesives that cure and achieve bonding strength at room temperatures without needing additional heat. They are typically used in the automobile industry for bonding various materials like plastics, rubber, metals, and glass.

 

B] Benefits Of Using Adhesives In The Automotive Industry

Automotive adhesives provide numerous benefits across the automotive industry, contributing to both performance and aesthetics. Let’s take a look at some of these remarkable benefits.

1. Improves The Look And Design

Adhesives provide automotive designers and engineers greater flexibility in creating visually appealing vehicles. Their strong bonding capabilities eliminate the need for screws, bolts, or rivets, resulting in a streamlined and sleek appearance. This ensures that the designers and engineers have the freedom to shape the vehicle’s exterior and interior, enhancing its overall aesthetics.

2. Reduces Stress On The Vehicle

Automotive adhesives offer better structural integrity and durability when compared to traditional bonding methods such as welding or mechanical fastening. Adhesives evenly distribute the stress across a larger area, reducing stress-related failures. This ensures the vehicle can withstand various driving conditions and loads, minimising the risk of deformation or component fatigue.

3. Weight Reduction

Adhesives offer a lightweight bonding solution for automobile applications. They play a big role in weight reduction, thereby improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. Adhesives with strong bonding capabilities allow for the use of lighter materials, such as advanced composites or aluminium, without compromising structural integrity. This proves beneficial to the automotive manufacturers, helping them adhere to the strict fuel efficiency standards and environmental regulations.

4. Enhanced Noise And Vibration Reduction

Adhesives possess viscoelastic properties that effectively dampen vibrations and absorb noise. This helps manufacturers bond different components while minimising the transmission of vibrations and noise throughout the vehicle’s structure. This ensures the vehicle occupants have a quieter and more comfortable driving experience, especially on rough or uneven roads.

5. Rigidity

Adhesives provide rigidity and stiffness to automotive structures. They form a strong bond between automotive components, increasing the overall rigidity of the vehicle, enhancing its stability and offering resistance to torsional forces such as vibration and impacts. This is especially helpful in high-stress areas such as chassis components, frame connections, or crash zones, where rigidity is crucial for safety and structural integrity.

6. Lower Cost Compared To Traditional Joining Methods

Adhesives are a more cost-effective option for bonding when compared to traditional methods such as welding or riveting. The tools required for adhesive bonding are generally more reasonable, and the application process also requires less labour. Additionally, adhesives can be applied to a wider range of materials, reducing the need for specialised manufacturing processes or additional parts.

7. Suitable For Extreme Temperatures

Automotive components are exposed to a wide range of temperatures, from extreme heat in engine compartments to frigid conditions during winter. The adhesives in the automotive industry are custom engineered for the required application by adhesive manufacturers.

Kohesi bond offers a wide range of adhesives with thermal properties such as high-temperature resistant adhesives that can withstand more than 315°C (600°F) of heat and cryogenic temperatures resistant adhesives that can withstand temperatures below -180°C (93.15K). This helps adhesives maintain their bonding strength and integrity across these temperature extremes, ensuring reliable performance and durability even in challenging environmental conditions.

8. Corrosion Resistance

Vehicles have to withstand various environmental conditions and factors such as moisture, chemicals, road salt, and pollutants that can lead to corrosion. Adhesives create a protective barrier against such factors, sealing them out and preventing direct contact between metal surfaces and corrosive agents. Using corrosion-resistant adhesives can improve the durability of automotive components, especially in harsh climates or corrosive environments.

 

C] Adhesive Applications In The Automotive Sector

1. Vehicle Body And Frame Assembly

In the automotive industry, adhesives are used to bond various components of the vehicle body and frame, including panels, doors, roofs, and structural components. Using adhesive for bonding improves strength, durability, and corrosion resistance, ensuring a robust vehicle structure that can withstand the rigours of everyday use and also improves vehicle safety.

2. Interior And Exterior Finishing

Adhesives are essential for interior and exterior finishing applications across the automotive industry. They enable the secure attachment of trims, mouldings, emblems, and decorative elements, enhancing the vehicle’s aesthetics. Secure attachment of these components limits vibration and noise, enhancing quality and improving its durability.

3. Bonding Of Different Materials

Since adhesives are compatible with a wide range of materials, the automotive industry often uses them to bond different materials, such as metals, plastics, composites, and glass. This allows for lightweight designs, improved fuel efficiency, and the integration of diverse materials with varying properties.

4. Electrical And Electronic Components

Adhesives provide reliable bonding solutions for electrical and electronic components in vehicles. They are utilised in securely attaching wiring harnesses, connectors, sensors, and control modules. They are also used to enhance electrical connectivity and prevent issues caused by vibrations, moisture, or temperature changes. In addition, custom-engineered adhesives also offer electrical insulation properties, reducing the risk of short circuits and electrical malfunctions.

5. Glass Bonding

Adhesives are also extensively used to bond automotive glass components, such as windshields, side windows, and rear windows. Their strong adhesion capabilities ensure the structural integrity of the vehicle and prevent leaks, contributing to the vehicle’s safety and protecting occupants from external elements. Using adhesives can also enhance acoustic insulation, reducing noise in the vehicle.

6. Underbody Coatings

Adhesives are applied as underbody coatings to protect the vehicle’s undercarriage from factors such as corrosion, stone chips, and environmental elements. These coatings create a durable and protective barrier, safeguarding critical components from damage caused by water, salt, gravel, and road debris. Adhesive-based underbody coatings also extend the lifespan of the vehicle and maintain its structural integrity.

 

D] Considerations When Using Adhesives In Automotive Industries

1. Substrate type

Since different adhesive formulations have varying affinities to specific substrate materials, you have to consider the substrate type, which involves factors such as surface energy, texture, and composition. This will help you identify the right adhesives for automotive applications, ensuring strong and reliable bonding.

2. Environmental Conditions

Adhesive performance can be affected by environmental factors encountered in the automotive industry. Therefore, it is crucial to consider factors such as extreme temperatures, humidity, exposure to chemicals, and UV radiation while selecting or using an adhesive. This will ensure the adhesive holds up under harsh environmental conditions.

3. Configuration

The configuration of components being bonded is also important to consider since the shape, size, and design of components can affect the adhesion. Therefore factors such as gap thickness, surface area, and accessibility for adhesive application should also be considered while adhesive selection. You should select Adhesives with suitable viscosity and flow characteristics to ensure proper wetting and filling of gaps. The curing time of the adhesive should also align with the assembly process to allow sufficient time for proper bonding.

4. Maintain Cleanliness

For successful bonding, you have to properly clean and prepare the surfaces through methods such as solvent cleaning, abrasive cleaning, or plasma treatment. This is necessary as contaminants, such as oil, grease, dust, or corrosion, can hinder adhesive performance and compromise bond strength.

 

E] Conclusion

Adhesives offer a versatile bonding solution that offers numerous benefits and applications throughout the automotive industry. From improving the look and design to reducing stress on the vehicle, enhancing noise and vibration reduction, and providing rigidity, adhesives play a crucial role in ensuring the structural integrity and performance of modern automobiles.

Furthermore, their lower cost compared to traditional joining methods, suitability for extreme temperatures, and corrosion resistance make them indispensable in automotive applications.

As the industry continues to advance, automotive adhesives will remain at the forefront of innovation, driving the development of safer, more efficient, and aesthetically pleasing vehicles for years to come.

So, if you are looking for industry grade adhesives for automotive applications, reach out to Kohesi Bond and we can custom engineer adhesives that meet all your requirements.