Why Your Automotive Manufacturing Lines Need Tape

As tape manufacturers strive to expand their customer reach across different markets, the production needs of the automotive industry are ever changing. The use of steel in manufacturing vehicles is continually decreasing, creating more stress for engineers to find other solutions. Therefore, it’s important to know how automotive tapes can provide distinct advantages to automotive engineers. Namely, tapes offer significant advantages when manufacturing the vehicle and in overall aesthetics:

Improving Design Opportunities

Newer vehicle designs now involve more plastics and fewer metals containing iron or steel. While spot welding techniques were once the go-to method for building a vehicle, the rise of sleek structure design is calling for new methods on the assembly line. Engineers are now looking into ways automotive tape can both replace the traditional procedures of joining parts together and utilize lighter, more affordable materials. For example, rather than using screws to place control panels and touch screen components, adhesives allow these parts to complete sleek, modern design while remaining lightweight. This type of application also creates more safety use in the workplace. The placement of tapecan be done with precision and simplicity.

Increasing Production Efficiencies

Older adhesive curing methods used by OEM require temperatures around 266 degrees Fahrenheit. This has been a long-standing issue for repair industry leaders because their paint-bake ovens cannot reach this level of heat. Plus, most interiors of vehicles cannot successfully make it through this high level of a baking cycle. OEM are now considering this as they begin using automotive tapes. They need structural adhesives that bond easily, can be applied to a range of surfaces with oil or molding chemicals, and can resist damage from being cured longer than necessary or being immersed with prewash detergents, phosphate and e-coat baths. As for repairs, manufacturers have also introduced methods that combine adhesives with welding. Engineers use spot welding throughout the entire assembly of a car, specifically for car doors and frames, fenders and hoods. These are also some of the parts OEM have tried to make lighter in weight and where tape can provide a modernized approach. In fact, some engineers are combining resistance spot welding with structural adhesives to create a joining technology.

Meeting Demands for Longevity

It’s anticipated automotive tape adhesives will only continue growing to become a vital approach for manufacturers. With both interior and exterior opportunities, engineers want an adhesive that provides heavy strength for load distribution among lighter vehicles. They have found tape can also help address potential problems years after the purchase of a car. This can include normal wear and tear, as well as challenges repair shops often face when fixing a vehicle after a crash. Tape adhesives offer the abilities to fix heating and air conditioning, seal interiors, and increase the strength of the structure. While every car model comes with its own complexities, tapes provide simple solutions. Once engineers understand the basics, tapes are easy to use in assembly. By increasing longevity of a car with tape, this can create more trust from the consumer and provide quick solutions for repair shops, and therefore create more overall satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Automotive tapes are projected to become a leading product material to improve a car’s aesthetics and performance in the next few years. Tapes add major value in several ways including:

Vibration Reduction: Studies show car manufacturers are utilizing more anti-vibration materials in order to enhance the durability of a vehicle and passengers’ comfort levels. Double-sided polyurethane and acrylic foam tape can assist in decreasing vibration between bonded substrates. This helps reduce the energy that often leads to rattling or squeaking sounds. Single-sided foam tape can also be useful for numerous areas of the interior including cup holders. Manufacturers are increasingly choosing anti-vibration tape over other materials for its low costs, strong bonding and flexibility in reducing problems related back to vehicle vibrating, such as the loosening of vehicle components over time.

Sound Damping: Not only does sound damping tape help address basic consumer needs, it also is helping manufacturersfind new ways to reduce sound in electric vehicles (EVs) and luxury vehicles. Sound is more likely to enter a vehicle that is not using a traditional engine to drown out road or mechanical noise. This can cause safety issues for the driver if they are struggling to hear sounds related to traffic signals or other vehicles. The foam backing of sound damping tape, however, helps lower that noise. The tape helps cushion trim, knobs and other small components from road vibrations. This helps with safety as well as meeting consumer expectations for soothing rides in luxury vehicles.

Mounting Automotive Parts: Components like emblems, trim and mirrors need to bond to the vehicle and stay mounted through various driving conditions and weather. Mounting tape made with polyurethane or acrylic foam can help accomplish these needs. Polyurethane foam is a great solution to fast emblem mounting due to its ability to handle tension. Acrylic foam tape is very flexible, which can be useful for moldings and body panels to hold a strong bond across a large surface area.

Anti-Chipping: Areas of a vehicle including the front bumper, fenders, hood, side mirrors and headlights often fall victim to road hazards. It’s common for these parts to become damaged or scratched over time by sand, rocks, bugs, curbs or other debris. Anti-chipping tape, however, is proving to be a simpler, less expensive way to manage these issues over liquid ceramic coatings. Anti-chip tapes use pressure-sensitive adhesives, making them easy to apply, and valuable in assembly. Anti-chipping tapes often have numerous layers to provide a number of solutions. These layers include a water-repelling, self-healing elastomeric clear coat, a tough polyurethane layer to enthrall scuffs, and a layer of invisible acrylic adhesive. Anti-chipping tapes provide durability to painted surfaces of a vehicle to improve the quality of the design, with the capability to fix itself over time.

By expanding your product range to include these types of automotive tapes, you can increase your customer reach as well. To accomplish this, you’ll want to ensure your tape adhesives are compatible with common automotive materials. Bostik offers many solutions to help you design tapes for automotive applications that are effective, durable and long-lasting. Contact a Bostik representative today to find the right automotive tape adhesive for your company.

You can also learn more with this other relevant content:

• Why Your Portfolio Needs Sound Damping Tape
• Easily Manufacture Sound Damping Tape with Thermogrip® 20103
• How to Easily Meet NVH Standards in Automotive Manufacturing