Automotive body shop

Adhesives for structural bonding are used independently or used in conjunction with spot welds to strengthen and stiffen multi-material designs while improving the safety and durability of the body. Applied as a continuous bead along weld flanges, structural adhesive reinforces the overall body and alleviates stress at each spot weld.

The critical design requirements for automotive body-in-white structural bonding depend on accurate and consistent beads along with assured system performance. Our structural adhesive dispensing solutions provide reliable performance where you need it most.  

In stiffening and anti-flutter applications, rubber-based adhesives or butyls are used to bond the inner and outer components of parts such as doors, roofs, hoods, and trunks to reduce noise and vibrations during operation. Applied as traditional beads or in multiple tear drop shaped droplets, the material effectively dampens sound while eliminating vibrations in multi-material components.

Graco offers pumping and metering systems for manual applications or for automated installations, where it can be easily linked to any robot. 

In hem flange bonding, panels are bonded together by bending the edge of one sheet over the edge of another to create automotive closure assemblies. Hemming closures consist of a thin panel with a second or third member bonded to form a single panel that is stiffer, more noise-resistant, more vibration resistant, and more impact-resistant than the original panel. Bonding two thinner panels can also offer considerable weight savings over a single, thick panel.

To properly adhere to and seal the panels, epoxy adhesives, often filled with glass beads, are used to create a consistent thickness between the panels. These materials are commonly dispensed in a traditional bead or applied by a swirling applicator to create consistent material distribution.

To resist damage and corrosion, ambient and warm-applied sealants are applied to the car’s body to help keep out noise, dust, water, and gases. These seals are commonly applied on seams or along flanges and are required to withstand subsequent operations. 

Graco has a range of sealer pumps, metering systems and applicators for manual and automatic processes, whatever size of material delivery containers you may have.