Long Term Mechanical and Environmental Properties of Adhesive Intensive Car Body

The long-term environmental and mechanical properties of adhesive intensive five door car body, using automotive grades of one component, heat curing rubber based and epoxy based adhesives have been tested and evaluated. The bodies were built in a normal production line in one of Volvo Car Corporation’s factories. The application and assembly aspects of weld-bonding on a large scale are evaluated with respect to work environment and joint quality.

Properties after long-term testing of both laboratory specimens and body structures are described as well as analysis of the failure modes as a function of the adhesive bonding systems. Comparisons are made with normal production bodies.