Monday, March 16, 2009

Epoxy in the Automotive Industry by Tony Green

Alternative Vehicle Image in Tony Green Blog
There are various polymers that are utilized in manufacture of automobiles. Some include silicone, urethane, polyester and epoxy which are designed for applications ranging from the painting on the outside of the car, to forming the material used make the bumper, to bonding the wire to the PCB board which form many of the control electronics.

The polymers types are used include polyesters, urethanes, silicones, and epoxy. All of these polymers share the characteristic of enabling technology. Epoxy in particular has played a role due to its high chemical and heat resistance.

There are many uses for epoxy in the assembly of an Automobile. For instance, Epoxy is used in many of the motors by adhering the magnet to the commutator, in wire harnesses to protect wiring in the harsh automobile environment, in compressors to pot the wiring in the clutch, just to name a few.

Due to the gas crisis and a new desire to leave a more environmental footprint the automotive industry as a whole is moving away from gasoline power vehicles to alternative energy vehicles power by electricity, Fuel cells, and ethanol.

The usefulness of epoxy is still clear in light of the change in automobile due to its flexibility. By adjusting the some of the ingredients epoxy can be formulated with customized properties which can be catered to any specific automotive application.

Examples of these applications include potting for Flex Fuel sensor due to resistance to ethanol environment and Lithium ion battery packs due to its ability to adhere in alkaline/acidic environments.

The future is guaranteed to bring changes in customer requirements which will spur changes in technology. Participants in the industry will need to ensure their product offering meet the changing requirements of their customers. Epoxy will continue to play large role in the automotive industry due to its versatility.
Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.com http://www.freefoto.com

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