Structural bonding of aluminium 1

[Biggadike]

We hear all the time that Automotive folks bond their alumiminium chassis together. Can anyone tell me of a supplier of the bonding agent - its proving hard to come by?

Any tips and experiences would be welcome.

Chris

 

[IFRs]

Some use acrylic adhesives, I think

 

[TVP]

Vantico, 3M, Loctite, Hexcel, & Cytec all sell structural adhesives suitable for bonding aluminum components. The last two are more oriented to the aerospace market. Vantico (formerly Ciba-Geigy) was the supplier that Lotus used to develop the Elise.

 

[Biggadike]

Thanks TVP

I tried Loctite and 3M but their stuff wasn't structural enough. I'll try the others...

Chris

 

[CoryPad]

Chris,

Could you be more specific regarding Loctite and 3M? Loctite's Hysol and 3M's Scotch-Weld are both among the highest strength epoxies available.

I know that Ciba XD4600 has been used in the past for Al applications in the auto industry. This product isn't significantly different from its competitors, so you should be able to work with multiple suppliers and get a selection of suitable products.

Regards,

Cory

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

 

[Biggadike]

Cory,

It may be that their web sites aren't friendly enough to tell you what you need from cold. I used them to search for adhesives for aluminium and the ones they came up with were described as being non-structural. (maybe I'm just useless at decoding their web sistes)

I'll revisit and look for Hysol and Scotchweld and see what it says.

Chris

 

[Thunderhead19]

I've done some prelim testing using loctite H8000, Plexus MA320, and Sika 3000 series methacrylates. There is also a product marketed under the name LORD. I haven't used it, but I know people who have. All provide sheer str to alum in the neighborhood of 2500-3000psi.