Article Abstracts | March 2007
The complete article appears in the March 2007 issue of Photonics Spectra. If you do not have a copy of this issue,
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Automotive Sealing and Bonding
Robotic vision systems enable dispensing and real-time inspection of adhesives and sealants in critical, hard-to-find areas of a vehicle.
by Tsunou Chang, ABB Inc.
The use of sealants and adhesives is increasing as automotive designers try to improve fuel efficiency by reducing vehicle weight. Safety, aesthetics and durability are all critical factors and, when taken together, promote greater use of structural adhesives — such as epoxies and polyurethanes — than of mechanical fasteners. Adhesives and sealants also are used to make cars quieter, better insulated and resistant to corrosion.
With adhesives/sealants being critical to automobile assembly, it is important to deliver the appropriate amount of mastic material to the correct location every time. In the past, engineers designed fixtures to hold each part to be sealed in a precise location, but this was expensive and did not provide flexibility...
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