Gluing in the workshop

Gluing in the workshop

“Did you know that a VW Golf contains 14 kilograms of adhesives and that a BMW 5 Series uses 157 meters of adhesive bead during production?” With these clear examples, adhesive specialist and HTL teacher Martin Brandtner-Hafner demonstrated the importance of adhesives in automobile construction. "An advantage of bonded body parts over welded ones is that the adhesives can absorb more deformation energy in the event of a crash. Weld spots, on the other hand, burst open quickly," continued Brandtner-Hafer. Despite these undeniable advantages, there are still prejudices about the durability of glued connections. “Modern adhesives are tailored precisely to the materials to be joined and their surfaces – which is why it is particularly important that they are processed exactly according to the instructions,” says the expert. This also explains why the adhesive solutions developed by the Tyrolean specialty chemicals company Innotec are not offered to hobbyists in hardware stores, but only to professionals in repair workshops.

Body parts, bumpers, sills, spoilers, mirrors, handles or interior panels – the range of bonded components in a vehicle is enormous. Using the latest 1K or 2K adhesive technology from Innotec, different materials such as steel, aluminum and plastic as well as wood or textile can be glued together and joints sealed. The Vienna State Guild Master Georg Ringseis, Federal Guild Master Roman Keglovits-Ackerer, Guild Master Deputy Günter Blümel, Federal Guild Master Deputy Manfred Kubik and Innotec General Manager Reinhard Rauter took part in the technical discussion on the topic of adhesive technology at the Vienna Mobility Campus. Rauter emphasized that the Innotec field service is making great efforts to make the vehicle repair industry fit for bonding. Ringseis pointed out that, for example, headlight repairs are significantly more sustainable and environmentally friendly than replacements. Keglovits suggested a focus on adhesive technology in vocational schools, as it is also used in electric and hydrogen vehicles. Following the discussion, Innotec employees presented the performance of modern adhesive technology using vehicle components.