New Polyurethane Seal Foam for Automobile Door Units
Henkel has launched a new 2-component polyurethane seal foam designed for sealing electronic and mechanical units in the door module, such as window regulators, door locks, and loudspeaker mounts, against water, dust, and driving-related vibrations.
The company reports that the new seal foam, Sonderhoff Fermapor K31-A-5055-1-G / K31-B-4, meets the mechanical property requirements demanded by OEMs and suppliers and is hydrolysis and temperature stable in accordance with delivery specification DBL 5452.
The new foam offers a combination of a relatively long pot life with fast curing, which is essential for the fully automated production process of door modules, according to Henkel. The foam gasket remains workable after being dispensed onto the door module until the foaming time begins, and cures quickly enough to allow for timely installation. This enables short application processes and rapid part processing until final acceptance of the door modules.
This also saves costs, as there is no need for intermediate storage and only short curing bands are required for curing the foam seal. Another advantage is the approximate 5 % lower specific density with the same material properties, which results in lower material consumption and is therefore more economical compared to systems available on the market.
The low installation forces of the foam gasket provide an advantage when installing the door module in the body-in-white door and when installing the sealed components for additional units such as loudspeakers, window regulators and locking system in the door module. When installed, the foam seals of the door module and the components mounted on it are pressed evenly over their entire contour. In addition, the foam gasket compensates for any dimensional tolerances of the components. The sealed parts achieve a consistently high level of tightness.
The new sealing foam is ideal for manufacturers of door modules and achieves a corresponding efficiency potential with short cycle times and large quantities in door module production, thanks to lower material consumption and less weight, reports the company.
Source: Henkel