Adhesives in the Automotive Industry

Abstract

In order to understand the current situation we must examine the historical aspects surrounding this method of joining. The automotive vehicle was originally a development of the horse-drawn carriage, and the early motor vehicles resembled their forebears both in styling and in the methods of construction used. In general terms the bodies were wholly wooden or fabric-covered wooden structures; in either case the wood was joined using joinery techniques and the readily available natural resin glues. As the demands on the structure increased, more metal was introduced and eventually the wood was totally replaced by metal and the all-metal bodied car had arrived. At this stage of the car’s evolution there were no adhesives available which were capable of joining the metal components, and alternative fixing methods had to be used such as bolting, riveting and welding.