LIGHTWEIGHTING SOLUTIONS WITH ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGY

Automotive Light
Weighting using
adhesives and films

Another way of thinking…
Automotive Light Weighting using adhesive & film technologies
Jeffrey Bailey
Business Development – North America
nolax AG
jeff.bailey@nolax.com
+1 704 219 6725
nolax.com | Automotive Light Weighting | March 2022 | Confidential 2

 nolax’s specialty is adhesion solutions between difficult and dissimilar materials
Examples: plastics to metal, wood to metal, textiles to metal/wood, composites
 Products include film and liquid solutions:
Multi-layer thermoplastic extruded films
Fast reacting liquid chemistries
See www.nolax.com for interesting movies!
 Innovative adhesive ideas are sold as our own products, as well as turned into “start-up”
companies that we control and eventually sell or spin-off
Recent spin-offs were sold to BASF and Nitto Tape
Metal:plastic adhesion and lightweighting are core competences
 Current examples:
Metallhinterspritzen (back injection molding of metal inserts for decoration)
Back injection of structural hybrid parts for light weighting
Core Business = Innovative Adhesion

New fast curing 2C Polyurea adhesives
FAST CURING STRUCTURAL ELASTIC
 Seconds - Minutes to handling
stability
 No post-curing
 Over 10MPa lap shear strength
 Up to 200°C temperature resistance
 Climate exposure without properties loss
 Permanent dampening properties
 Excellent for absorbing stress

Fastening points in honey comb panels (e.g. Trunk floor)
 Polymer insert solid in 3s!
 Cost reduction and process reliability
through automation
 Enables prefabrication => Increases
productivity & flexibility
 Strong connection
nolax.com | Automotive Light Weighting | March 2022 | Confidential
See video https://vimeo.com/user15844929/review/458123529/f3eca27f6f
5
See video
https://vimeo.com/499197064

Metal & Wood Rear Injection - Decoration
Automotive Market Trends
‒ Sophisticated metal appearance
‒ Cool touch
‒ Sophisticated wood finishes
‒ Lightweighting
‒ Increased durability requirements
Challenges
‒ Bonding dissimilar materials in one step during the injection molding
process.
‒ Bonding to untreated metal / eliminating the metal priming process
‒ Bonding to delicate wood veneers
6

Metal Rear Injection - Decoration
Application examples: Automotive Interior
7
Source: motortrend.com

Metal Rear Injection - Decoration
Application examples: Automotive Interior
8
Source: motortrend.com

9
Wood surface with injection molding

10
Wood surface with injection molding

The Metal/Wood Rear Injection Process
Step 1: Pre-lamination of metal or wood sheet with nolax film: Flatbed belt
laminator
nolax film
Metal/Veneer
Sheets
Flatbed Lamination
Laminated
Metal/Veneer
Sheet

Step 1: Pre-lamination of sheet with nolax film: Flatbed belt laminator

Step 2: Forming – Deep drawing process
Blank inserted Punching / forming
process using
progressive dies
Formed part is
removed

14
Step 3: Injection Molding
Pre-formed metal/wood
with nolax film inserted into tool
Injection molding
Eject

Metal & Wood Rear Injection - Decoration
Key design considerations:
 Cleanliness of the lamination process is important
 Contamination can ’telegraph’ through to the A surface
 Injection tool design should include temperature control
 60-80 C is the recommended range (metal side), depending on the resin
 Injection gating should minimize gate wash
 Hot runners should be used for longer parts
 Sequential valve gating for long parts is optimal
 Parting line should be thoughtfully positioned
 Protection of the A surface of the metal or wood during processing
 Polyethylene liner is a good option
15

Metal Rear Injection - Structural
Automotive Market Trends
‒ Lightweighting of structural
parts with hybrid designs
Challenges
‒ Hybrid part design
‒ Maintain the cost of steel
‒ Achieve the weight of
Magnesium
‒ Process integrated bonding of
metal / plastic
16
Steel welding Magnesium
casting
Source Picture: Sitech

Metal:plastic hybrid light weight
nolax.com | Rear Injection for Structural Applications | July 2019 | Confidential 17

Lightweighting – Techniques to join dissimilar materials
source: NMF GmbH
Plastic
Metal
Form Fit Micro-form Fit Adhesive
Bond
Adhesive Film
Micro Structuring
18

Metal Rear Injection – Processes
Joining of metals to polymers, via rear injection, consists of the following 3
steps.
1. Lamination: nolax adhesive film is applied to a flat metal sheet in a flat
bed laminator, or laminating on a coil coating line
2. Metal Forming: The adhesive laminated flat metal sheet is then formed
to the final shape. The adhesive film in fact acts as a lubricant.
3. Injection molding: The formed metal is placed in the mold and the
polymer is injected behind the laminated nolax adhesive film.
19

Metal Rear Injection – Lamination Process
20
Step 1: Lamination – directly inline to metal coil or batch wise on metal
sheets using a flat bed laminator

Metal Rear Injection Process – Lamination
Pre-lamination of metal on a coil with nolax film
Step 1: Film application on a flat metal sheet
21
‒Adhesive
film
‒Metal
‒(Release)
‒Laminate

Metal Rear Injection Process – Lamination
Pre-lamination of metal sheet with nolax film: Flatbed laminator
Metal sheet
Release liner
nolax-film
T[°C]
s[mm]
Step 1: Film application on a flat metal sheet
22

Metal Rear Injection – Lamination Process Parameters
Coil lamination:
‒ Metal i.e. galvanized Steel strip or Al
‒ nolax A22.5011 or A21.4500 film
‒ Speed: 70 m/min (used in a trial, higher speeds possible)
‒ Lamination temperature: 260 °C (500 °F)
‒ Pressure of the lamination roll onto metal strip: 60 bar (870 psi)
Batch-wise lamination on a flatbed laminator:
‒ Belt speed: 0.2 – 30 m/min
‒ Lamination temperature: 200 °C (392 °F)
23

The Metal Rear Injection Process
Step 2: Metal forming – Deep drawing process
Metal blank insterted Punching / forming
process
Formed part is
removed

Metal Rear Injection – Structural 3D Process
25
Step 2: Laminated Metal insert is placed in the injection molding tool
followed by injection molding.
Handling of metal by robot Placing of metal part in injection molding tool.

Metal Rear Injection – Structural 3D Process
26
Step 3: Injection Molding
Pre-formed metal
with nolax film inserted into tool
Injection molding
Eject

Metal Rear Injection Process – Injection Molding Parameters
 Injection Pressure: Depends on part geometry
 Injection time: Usually around 45 s
 Temperature: Depends on polymer formulation used
 Tool temperature:
 60 - 80 °C
 Process can work with any of the major injection equipment, including
KraussMaffei, Engel, Arburg, and others
27

Metal Rear Injection – Structural
The nolax Solution: Joins the benefits of metal and plastic into one hybrid
part: Provides stability, stiffness, and force distribution.
28
Metal:
Provides stability & dissipates energy
Injection molded
plastic:
Provides torsional
stiffness
nolax.com | Rear Injection for Automotive Interiors | October 2019 | Confidential

Test – Lap Shear Test (DIN EN 1465)
-Substrates:
-Aluminum (5754) = Alu
-Steel (DX51), galvanized = DX51 + Z
-Steel (DX51), galvanized and phosphated = DX51 + Z+ P
-PA6 GF30, PP
-nolax A21.4500 and A22.5011 PP/PA multilayer film(PP facing metal, PA
facing PA6)
-Test conditions
-Initial (20 °C / 65 % RH)
-Aged for 50 days (4h @ 80°C/80% RH,4h @ -40°C,2h ramp in between.
One cycle = 12h. 50d = 100 cycles)
30

Results – Lap Shear Test (nolax A22.5011 + PA6 GF30)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
DX51 + Z DX51 + Z + P Alu
Lap
shear
strength
[MPa]
initial
PV 1200
After climate
aging (50 days)
31
Alu = Aluminum
DX51 + Z =
Galvanized Steel
DX51 + Z+ P =
Galvanized Steel,
Phosphated

Results – Lap Shear Test (nolax A21.4500 + PP LGF30)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
DX51 + Z DX51 + Z + P Alu
Lap-shear
strength
[MPa]
32
Alu = Aluminum
DX51 + Z =
Galvanized Steel
DX51 + Z+ P =
Galvanized Steel,
Phosphated

Test – Quasi Static Torsion
Test criteria:
‒ Angular velocity: 1.5º/s
‒ Maximum torsion angle: 90º
‒ Climate: 23ºC/50% RH
‒ Conditions tested
‒ No adhesive. Just form fit
‒ Initial. Bonded with nolax film
‒ After paint bake simulation (30 min, 200º C)
33

Test – Quasi Static Torsion
34

Torsional Moment
Torsional Stiffness I - Initial without
adhesive, just
form fit; PA6 GF 30
II - Initial with nolax
A22.5011; PA6 GF
30
III - After paint bake
simulation
(30 Min, 200°C)
Results – Quasi-Static Torsion
35

‒ Torsion of a hybrid beam:
‒ Up to 300 % higher stiffness of the whole part.
‒ Higher energy absorption capacity with adhesive bonding compared to
form fit (~ 40 %)
‒ Same increasing values were detected using aluminum profiles
Results – Quasi-Static Torsion
36

-Substrates:
-Aluminum (5754), DP500 Steel
-PA6 GF30
-nolax A22.5011 PP/PA multilayer film(PP facing metal, PA facing PA6)
-Test conditions
-Alternating loading(sine curve): 1Hz
-Increasing load after each 1000 cycles
-Form fit, powder adhesive, micro-structuring and nolax bonded samples
tested
Test – Dynamic Torsion
37

Results – Dynamic Torsion
A hybrid beam made with nolax film
+ 65%  Withstands two thirds more cycles compared to form fit
+ 30%  More than a powder adhesive/primer system
+ 50%  More than with laser micro structuring
38

Results – Torsion summary
Static Test:
‒ Up to 4x higher stiffness compared to form fit
‒ Up to 50 % higher energy absorption than form fit
Dynamic Test:
‒ Nolax solution withstands 65% more cycles before failure compared to
form fit
39

Applications – Interior
Cockpit Support Seat Structures Door Panels
Current project in hybrid seat structures: Prototype fulfilled mechanical and
crash tests requirements.
41

Applications – Seat Backs
Status
‒ The newest thermoplastic adhesive formulations passes crash test
requirements.
Frontal impact at 54 km/h with cargo
protection (2 x 18 kg)  ECE R17
Source Picture: Sitech
42

Applications – Exterior
Frontend Roof Supporting Beams Trunk Lid
Current project: Hybrid cross member consisting of GFRP (PP-based) and Aluminum shell
 successfully tested in lab on road simulation testing device
43

Another way of thinking…
Thank you for your attention! Questions?
Jeffrey Bailey
Business Development – North America
nolax AG
jeff.bailey@nolax.com
+1 704 219 6725

LIGHTWEIGHTING SOLUTIONS WITH ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGY

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