Assembly Planbook - June 2008 - (Page 28)

ASSEMBLY Appliance Assembly Fastening or Bonding? Structural adhesives offer an alternative to traditional joining methods. A l umi num, copper, st eel and other metal parts used to assemble household appliances are usually joined together with mechanical fasteners or welding. But, structural adhesive is a serious alternative that more and more engineers are considering. Structural adhesives are often used to attach magnets to electric appliance motors. Photo courtesy National Adhesives By Austin Weber Senior Editor Structural adhesives are typically associated with automotive and aerospace applications. They’re also widely used in the boat-building industry. Potential advantages of using acrylics, epoxies, urethanes and other adhesives include cost savings, design flexibility, lower weight and structural integrity. Many appliance manufacturers are examining the pros and cons of bonding, because it offers numerous benefits, such as design aesthetics, vibration dampening, and the ability to join dissimilar substrates and sensitive materials with a continuous joint. A wide variety of appliances are already assembled with adhesive, especially products that contain large amounts of injection-molded plastic parts, such as coffeemakers, humidifiers and vacuum cleaners. “The concepts applied to the automotive and aerospace industries are being applied to the appliance industry,” says Kyle Rhodes, plastics market segment manager at Dymax Corp. (Torrington, CT). “The ability to create lighter and more robust designs with a more aesthetically pleasing contour targets the consumer market, and consumers are responding positively. “Traditionally, appliance manufacturers used mechanical fasteners due to concerns over strength, durability and initial cost,” explains Rhodes. “But, as seen from the automotive and aerospace industries, the strength, durability and cost issues are minimal once the right adhesive is selected. Strength and durability have improved as new generations of adhesives are introduced. The cost savings far outweigh the actual costs, due to increased throughput with minimal labor costs.” Rhodes estimates that 50 percent to 60 percent of all available joints in appliances could be converted to adhesive. “Today’s structural adhesives are formulated to withstand severe impact and peel forces, provide high sheer 28 ASSEMBLY / June 2008 www.assemblymag.com http://www.assemblymag.com

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Assembly Planbook - June 2008 Contents Editorial Bonding Lines Quality in Assembly Assembly Lines Assembly in Action Fastening or Bonding? Loose Lips Sink Assembly Systems DFMA Cuts Downstream Costs Robots Lend a Hand Products Advertisers Index Classified Leading Lean

Assembly Planbook - June 2008

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