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ARALDITE BONDS LIGHT HOUSING ON FIAT MULTIPLA
30 June 2003 - Huntsman Araldite
| Araldite adhesive is being used to bond the light housing supports on one of
Europe’s most distinctive cars, the Fiat Multipla. |
Polytec Gruppo of Mondovi, Italy, part of a holding based in Austria, specified
Araldite for this application and also for bonding some internal roof parts on the
IVECO LD2000 truck. Polytec specialise in moulding automotive body components
such as spoilers, light supports and bumpers from thermosetting materials such as
SMC, BMC and RTM. They are using Araldite 4910 A/B to bond the light housing support, measuring
170 cm in length, to the body of the Fiat Multipla. While Araldite 4910 A/B is
generally used for primerless SMC bonding, this particular application is in fact bulk
moulding compound or BMC/BMC bonding. Araldite 4910 A/B is a two-part, fast curing polyurethane adhesive requiring only a
room temperature cure for primerless SMC bonding. “We chose Araldite 4910 A/B
because it cures rapidly without any additional heat. This also speeds up production as the parts are ready to handle more quickly than
with other adhesives as well, “ said Mr Graglia, who is responsible for technology
development at Polytec. “Because Araldite 4910 A/B is thixotropic we can apply it to the vertical walls of the
light housing and its neutral beige colour doesn’t stain the part surface – a problem
we have had with other adhesives.” The ability to gravity feed the liquid A and B
components of Araldite 4910 A/B allows for cost savings on pumping equipment. The bonded joints were submitted to a number of tough strength tests and proved to have good bond strength with fibre failure of the component itself rather than the
bond! The bonded parts also withstood temperatures up to 90°C during the paint
baking process. “Also in the application with the IVECO LD2000 truck”, Mr Graglia adds, “the room
temperature fast curing time was a key factor which allowed us to handle the bonded components quicker. Finally, the replacement of hot melt adhesives with Araldite 4910 A/B enabled us to eliminate the risk of any accidental burns to our operators while applying the product.”
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