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Presented in collaboration with: NOMINEE • The new adhesive eliminates the need for surface treatments and improves long-term bond integrity, which contributes to vehicle longevity. • Cab structure is 20 lbs lighter than the previous cab structure and it is significantly larger in size 2.1m wide vs 1.9m wide. • The reduced number of wall structure reinforcements is enabled by the continuous bond line of structural adhesive and the distribution of stresses. • Instead of the expected increase, there is actually a cost saving enabled by this BETAMATE structural adhesive. The combined direct and indirect cost avoidance savings due to no surface preparation on oily untreated aluminum surfaces is estimated at $1 million per year or $53 per truck. • This new BETAMATE structural adhesive enabled an industry-first process for untreated aluminum bonding: automated robotic processing of cab structures with new solvent-free adhesive designed for bonding aluminum eliminating the need for substrate pretreatments (abrasion, coatings, primers). The new process improves manufacturing cycle times and saves cost. Dow Automotive Systems BETAMATE™ Epoxy Structural Adhesive for Durable Bonding of Untreated Aluminum This BETAMATE™ two-part epoxy structural adhesive is an industry-first material engineered to enable a new automated robotic process for untreated aluminum bonding. Because aluminum has been such a challenging surface to bond durably, this new BETAMATE solution offers an opportunity for a new technology platform in the industry.
