The car interior is full of dissimilar materials, from aluminum to cloths, thermoplastics, composites, and more. A superior double-sided foam or fiber adhesive tape must be prepared to bond multiple materials with the strength and thermal resilience to withstand hot summer days in a greenhouse-like vehicle cabin without melting, peeling, or excessively out-gassing. At the same time, it should excel at solving a particular design problem, be it vibration noise, assembly speed, a cost-effective finish, or resistance to contaminants (as in the engine compartment).
Let’s take a closer look at the 4 qualities you should prioritize in top-end foam and fiber adhesive solutions for a vehicle’s interior:
1. Finish-Worthy Aesthetics
The right PSAs with a polyester fiber or other fabric-based backing can make attractive finishing elements in the car interior, providing a matte appearance and cloth texture to simple plastic trim elements. In this way, the PSA acts much like an self-securing upholstery fabric for uncushioned areas of the cabin. It is important to ensure the PSA edges are either wrapped beneath the trim element or otherwise concealed from exposure to contact that could fray or peel them.
2. Strong Noise Reduction Performance
When compared with traditional film PSAs, foam and fiber adhesive tapes have the special advantage of dampening any vibrations or noise from contact with other materials. For instance, fabric tapes are a strong choice for adhering wire harnesses in the vehicle roof or securely bundling cables in the wire loom. A well-chosen cloth fiber tape absorbs sound from any rattling of the wire bundle against other surfaces while also providing high abrasion resistance and hand-tearable functionality for faster assembly.
Foam anti-vibration tapes are excellent cushioning adhesives that can absorb road vibrations and reduce NVH. Many automakers will select foam adhesive solutions for adhering small interior elements like trim, emblems, or plastic components.
3. Chemical & Heat Resistance
The ideal foam or fiber adhesive tape will not merely bond substrates, but provide chemical resistance that’s necessary for applications such as wire harnesses in the engine compartment. Not all fabric and foam adhesives are up to this task. You’ll want an industrial-grade adhesive layer that’s rated for the anticipated stresses and a synthetic foam or fiber made from resilient materials such as polyester or vinyl.
4. Uncommon Adhesive Strength
Foams and fabrics are innately difficult to bond, due to their lack of a smooth and consistent surface for adhesive layers. If you’re selecting a foam or fiber adhesive, look for automotive-grade acrylic adhesive layers with high wet-out and the strength to ensure secure bonding. Superior adhesive solutions will resist peeling or release so well that they’ll outlast the backing when under force.
Looking for a superior foam or fiber PSA for your automotive design? Contact LINTEC Automotive today for more information on our large portfolio of leading adhesive solutions.
