Adhesives and sealants in bus assembly
Increased use of adhesives and sealants in bus assembly processes
There is a trend in the vehicle industry of replacing mechanical fasteners with adhesives and sealants. Buses are acknowledged as one of the vehicles that this trend can be traced back to. Trends can be seen in the bus industry in Mexico, Canada, the United States and many other countries. This article will look closely into the adoption of adhesives and sealants in bus assembly specifically. This is to give more of an in-depth analysis of the possibilities and solutions which adhesives and sealants can offer in the bus industry.
Adopting adhesives and sealants in the bus industry
With the increasing growth rate of the use of adhesives in the bus and other industries it is necessary to discuss the many ways in which adhesives and sealants can be applied. Below we will go into the different ways of application of these adhesives and sealants and some of their benefits:
- Assembly of body structures: Sealants and adhesives can lessen the risk of corrosion as well as the ingress of water and standing water, thereby simultaneously contributing to the passengers’ comfort due to it dampening sounds and vibrations.
- Interior design: The appearance of the bus will be improved upon due to adhesives and sealants leaving no visible traces behind after their application. The most common adhesive used in bus interiors allows for extremely fast processing, because it is hot melt: hot melt becomes liquid when it is heated and hardens when it reaches room temperature.
- Floors and side panels: The use of modified silicone polymers leads to a higher resistance against extreme temperatures and weather conditions. That is because these seals are watertight and resistant to various chemicals. These applications are bonded with adhesives made of elastic polyurethane, which are often used in trains as well as buses. The dampening effect of these adhesives mentioned before also means that in the unlikely event of a crash the impact is dampened leading to an increase in safety.
- Bonding of the roof: Bonding the roof with sealants and adhesives instead of mechanical fasteners leads to a reduction in weight on the roof, which improves the balance and makes for a streamlined design. This also applies to the front and rear masks of the bus as well as antennas installed on the roof.
- Direct glazing: Glazing the buses’ surfaces with adhesives and sealants is a great choice to reduce costs by shortening the production time since many of them are fast-curing products. This means that they dry quickly which speeds up the production process and even more so because this process can be automated. Furthermore, glazing with adhesives and sealants offers protection against moisture ingress and an increase in aerodynamics.
Greener adhesive and sealant solutions for buses
Bus manufacturers have been looking more into environmentally friendly options for the interior and exterior designs of buses. It is therefore not surprising that many manufacturers have started to use sealants and adhesives. While sealants and adhesives are not really affected by the environment, e.g. harsh weather and wind, there are many which also make little impact on the environment. We will look into modified silicone polymers which are commonly used as a green solution in the production of buses.
MS Polymers are sealants which consist of one component, making them easy to process. These glues do not consist of solvents or isocyanates that can be considered detrimental and their volatile organic compound is either zero or near zero. There has been a growing demand for MS polymers and they are mostly used in the sealing of buses’ body structures. Next to that they are also fairly often used to direct glaze buses.
We will help you buy the best products for your bus!
It is important to look into all the options and choose the right products that fit your bus. Hopefully this article has given you a clearer picture of what possibilities there are and which you might be interested in. However, if you are still unsure do not hesitate to contact us! Even if you have already made up your mind we are happy to help you get what you need so your passengers as well as you can enjoy your bus to the fullest!
