Use of structural epoxy adhesives

in Fiat
Dow adhesives S-series

Fiorenza Di Sciullo
GML Polymers and Glasses

20 Novembre, 2010

CRF GML organisation in Fiat and Fiat Industrial

CRF (Centro Ricerche Fiat): founded in 1978 as Innovation and

Research pole for Fiat Group

GML (Group Materials Lab): Fiat Group center of excellence for

materials
Fiat and Fiat Industrial responsible for specification
Material choice and approval on vehicles and components
Materials
and
components
testing
(mechanical
characterization, ageing, chemical and physical analysis)
Failure analysis
Innovation on materials

for internal use

This document contains information which are proprietary of CRF. Neither this document
nor the information contained herein shall be used, duplicated nor communicated by any
means to any third party, in whole or in part, except with the prior written consent of CRF

Use of epoxy adhesives in Fiat

Until 2008, use of standard epoxy (non toughened)

Very low elongation at break
Poor crash resistance

2009: start of using of toughened epoxy adhesives to increase

crash resistance
On doors (hem flange) to avoid flange opening
On car body to increase side crash resistance

Mechanical characteristic:
Higher elongation at break
Higher elastic modulus
Various classes of crash resistance

for internal use

This document contains information which are proprietary of CRF. Neither this document
nor the information contained herein shall be used, duplicated nor communicated by any
means to any third party, in whole or in part, except with the prior written consent of CRF

Use of toughened epoxy adhesives in Fiat

Goal of using epoxy toughened adhesives

Replacing existing product (e. g. hem flange)
New application areas (e. g. car body)
Non-brittle materials (use also for adhesive thickness up to 2
mm)

What we improved?
Crash
Fatigue
Stiffening

for internal use

This document contains information which are proprietary of CRF. Neither this document
nor the information contained herein shall be used, duplicated nor communicated by any
means to any third party, in whole or in part, except with the prior written consent of CRF

Differences between traditional and toughened epoxy

Better crash performances (standard ISO 11343); two classes of

materials
Medium crash resistance
High crash resistance

Low viscosity:
High application temperature
Low sag
Heating system required

Hem flange application:

Need of swirl applicable material

for internal use

This document contains information which are proprietary of CRF. Neither this document
nor the information contained herein shall be used, duplicated nor communicated by any
means to any third party, in whole or in part, except with the prior written consent of CRF

Application of toughened epoxy adhesives in Fiat

Issues:
Low quantity per car (first experiences)
Production shortcuts because of the general crisis
Requirement of heating:
Better viscosity control
In case of production stop for more than 20 minutes, stop of
heating system
Waiting for reheating at the restart of production
Requirement of curing in 2 weeks from extrusion
Logistic problems in case of plant stop
Need of storage increasing

for internal use

This document contains information which are proprietary of CRF. Neither this document
nor the information contained herein shall be used, duplicated nor communicated by any
means to any third party, in whole or in part, except with the prior written consent of CRF

Use of DOW BETAMATE adhesives

2009: standard toughened products

Betamate 1060 for medium crash resistance
Betamate 1496 for high crash resistance
From 2011: S-series products:
Betamate 1060S for medium crash resistance
Betamate 1496S for high crash resistance

Same or better mechanical characteristic (lap shear, crash resistance,

elongation at break)
Same viscosity same tooling
Improved heating stability
No reheating after production stops
Increasing of shelf life up to 12 months

Specification update in progress to include new materials

for internal use

This document contains information which are proprietary of CRF. Neither this document
nor the information contained herein shall be used, duplicated nor communicated by any
means to any third party, in whole or in part, except with the prior written consent of CRF