Adhesives for attaching antennas to vehicles
Adhesives for attaching antennas to buses, trains and trucks
Through technological changes there has been a shift in demand from mechanical fasteners to that of adhesives for attaching antennas to vehicles. These vehicles include but are not limited to buses, trains and trucks. In this article the benefits of these adhesives will be discussed in order to explain why this shift in demand has taken place. It is also important to note that this shift which can be spotted in the United States and Canada is not limited to the North-American continent: it can be seen on a global scale.
Benefits of adhesives for attaching antennas
The use of adhesives as opposed to mechanical fasteners brings many benefits with it, also when applied in order to attach antennas.
- Higher durability: mechanical fasteners are prone to create corrosion of vehicles, whereas adhesives prevent corrosion and thereby lead to an increased durability. Additionally, when adhesives are used to fasten antennas, the stress is equally distributed, unlike with mechanical fasteners.
- Flexible design: adhesives permit more flexibility in their designs, making it easier to reach a more aerodynamic design.
- Improved production: the production and application of adhesives is a fast process, which can reduce the production time of vehicles that incorporate them. A reduced production time will benefit the production costs leading to a cheaper process. The use of adhesives for antennas also enables fast repairs and replacement.
- Weight reduction: mechanical fasteners can create up to an 80 kilogram difference in the overall weight of a bus compared to the use of adhesives. Reduced use of fasteners in attaching antennas contributes to the overall weight reduction.
Characteristics of rooftop antennas and adhesives
As antennas are most often placed in plain sight on the rooftops of vehicles, adhesives need to share the same characteristics as these antennas. The most important features these adhesives and antennas possess are:
- Easy to (re)place: during a vehicle’s lifetime it is highly likely their antennas have to be replaced multiple times. Therefore, antennas and adhesives are to be easily applicable as well as replaceable without the process being too time consuming.
- UV-resistant: as mentioned before antennas are mostly placed out in the open on the roof of vehicles, which means that they need to withstand the UV-rays of the sun. Adhesives for antennas are therefore also UV-resistant.
- Conductive: most antennas require to be placed on a surface that is conductive, which means that the antennas themselves as well as adhesives are also made to be conductive. If they are not it can disrupt the magnetic field which antennas require to function properly.
- Tough: An adhesive has to be tough to keep the antenna firmly in place even when dire weather conditions and high speeds are involved.
Choosing the right adhesive to buy for your vehicle
It is crucial to know which adhesive would be the right fit for your antenna and your vehicle as each of them has their own requirements. Finding an adhesive then, that fits both the antenna’s as the vehicle’s requirements, can prove to be a difficult task. However, we at Glues.com are happy to be at your service and help you find the best fit!
Feel free to contact us at any time for any questions or inquiries regarding adhesives. We will surely discover there is an antenna adhesive that can be customized to your needs.
