APPLIED TECHNOLOGY ADHESIVES
SOLVENT-FREE ADHESIVES HELP SPEED UP THE PRODUCTION OF MOTORHOMES
From its site in Grimsby, Auto-Trail manufactures motorhomes designed for all lifestyles and budgets. Back in 2006, the company approached Chemique Adhesives for a solution that would help to increase manufacturing speed and reduce the curing time required for the adhesives used when bonding internal and external walls and floor panels. At the time, the company was using single-component
polyurethane adhesives but was finding that the long curing time created a production bottleneck. In addition, the adhesive used water in its composition and this sometimes produced condensation inside the vehicles. “Auto-Trail needed a fast yet dependable method
for bonding floors, sides and bulkhead panels for use in their motorhomes,” explained Justin Clark, business development manager at Chemique Adhesives. So, after reviewing the requirements, the company
suggested the Solfre2 product, a two-component solvent-free adhesive that not only has a short cure time, but also eliminates the use of water misting during the bonding process. As an alternative to epoxies, one-part polyurethanes, solvented
adhesives and hot melts, Solfre2 can be used to bond a wide variety of substrates including metal, plastic, wood and foam. Furthermore, it offers excellent chemical and moisture resistance, and can be applied either manually or automatically by rolling, beading or spraying, complementing a wide variety of production methods and requirements. Auto-Trail chose a spray line for its application, but a few years later a
beading one was also added. The dispensing system, which was designed and installed by Chemique Adhesives, uses the adhesive very efficiently – reducing the amount needed per panel has led to significant cost reductions. In addition, since the system is working with a solvent-free product, it eliminates the need for extraction fans. Since the adoption of the system by Auto-Trail, Chemique Adhesives
has continued to enhance the formula of the adhesive, giving even shorter curing times that pave the way for even more productivity gains. Carl Bristow, production director at Auto-Trail, commented: “Thanks to
the improvements made possible by Chemique Adhesives, we managed to increase output by 20% last year. This season we’re looking at producing 24% more vehicles. These productivity gains are a direct result of being able to fit and bond panels in just 12 minutes, compared to the 20 minutes it took before we started using the new products and machines.” Auto-Trail is now working with Chemique Adhesives to look at moving
from polystyrene panels to Styrofoam, a higher density material. Trials are currently underway to support this product improvement. Bristow added: “We have a great working relationship with the Chemique
Adhesives team; we are currently collaborating on some ambitious projects that will further improve production and, ultimately, our motorhomes. We feel confident about the future and we look forward to collaborating with our friends at Chemique Adhesives for many years to come!”
Chemique Adhesives
www.chemiqueadhesives.com/en/
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