The Sonderhoff group of companies presented their products for the automotive industry in China at the 17th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition. The German company is the world‘s leading system supplier for foam sealing, gluing and potting solutions including the dispensing machines for precise material application on the automotive parts. Particular highlights at the company booth were the Low-Emission and Fast-Cure polyurethane foam seal systems Fermapor K31 and the newly developed polyurethane-based 2-Component adhesives Fermaglue. The visitors experienced the precision of the 3 component DM 403 mixing and dosing machine during live demonstrations at the booth.
Florian Kampf, Sonderhoff, Cologne (Germany)
Sonderhoff is process specialist for the automated material application on parts of small to large series productions using the formed in-place (FIP) sealing technology. It has established as industry standard for an efficient, accurate and economical production method not only in the car manufacturing. When it comes to precise material dosing, accurately applied to the parts’ contour, the advantages of FIP become very clear. This is especially true for the highly synchronized series production in the making of cars. Most of the parts are processed with the very precise linear robots of the company’s mixing and dosing machines. Six axis robots for the part handling are used for complex 3D component geometries. Due to different lengths and diameters dosing nozzles reach into remote areas of 3 dimensional parts so that foam sealant, glue or potting can be applied accurately.
Using FIP sealing technology and dispensing machines foam seal applications are reliably reproducible in large numbers subject to the required zero fault tolerance in the automobile industry. The raw materials for foam sealing are exploited almost to 100 %. There occur no punching or scrap losses as with the classical pre-fabricated moss rubber seal.
All information relevant for the quality of safe engineering, material and the process are automatically recorded by the company mixing and dosing systems, accessible at any time. The traceability of previous processing operations of the system ensures a reproducible production quality.
Components and modules that are used in the manufacture of automobiles must be tightly sealed after their assembly against moisture, dust and harmful media. The foam sealing, adhesive and potting systems from the company are very versatile for the use in the car industry. For instance, Fermapor K31 Low-Emission foam gaskets seal air intake passages. Very reactive Fermapor K31 Fast-Cure foam seals with very short tack-free time adapt to the highly synchronized car production. Fermaglue 2-component adhesives in different degrees of hardness are used for bonding various auto parts. And Fermasil silicone foam gaskets are suitable for enclosure sealing in the engine compartment due to their temperature resistance.
The polyurethane foam seals that is used for air conditioning systems in cars ensure a leak-free fit of the filter of air intake passages, so that no unfiltered air passes the filter into the car interior. The antimicrobial properties prevent that microorganisms settle on the filter seals used on the air duct. Thus the hygiene requirements of VDI 6022 are met for air filters.
The polyurethane potting systems are applied in various application areas, from surface coating and protection against environmental effects, to encapsulating electronic components, e.g. the potting of automotive connector plugs, relays, transformers, condensers, sensors and others.
However, decisive for constant quality of foam sealing, gluing and potting are the right choice of raw materials, excellent workmanship as well as security and accuracy of the dispensing machines. Thus, a more precise application process of the materials on the components can be achieved.
The rapid development of the Chinese automotive industry which demands new advanced technologies and specialized new products was reason enough for Sonderhoff to exhibited at AutoShanghai again. After years of trade show attendance Sonderhoff (Suzhou) Sealing Systems Co.Ltd., founded 2009 in Suzhou near Shanghai, gained market shares very successfully. This is mainly due to the complete portfolio of sales and technical application services, machine maintenance, spare parts supply for existing machines and trainings.
Last year Sonderhoff (Suzhou) Sealing Systems moved to a larger location in Suzhou. Now, more than 6,000 square meter are available for new growth. They established their own production of polyurethane material component in Suzhou. This makes them independent from material imports from Sonderhoff’s production facilities in Germany. It shortens the delivery times to Chinese customers significantly.
Sonderhoff (Suzhou) operates as extended workbench for the automotive suppliers in China, for prototype sampling and contract manufacturing in a two-shift operation from zero to small, up to large series. More often customers place orders of 100,000 pieces annually and above.
New machines from the company are placed for extended contract manufacturing at the new location. Three dispensing machines with linear robots are used for polyurethane and silicone foam sealing, potting and gluing applications as well as one six axis robot for the part handling. In case of material dispensing on 3D parts, the mixing head can be mounted on the robot arm, which then accurately moves above the part contour. Alternatively, the part is held with the robot arm under the mixing head of the dispensing machine.
The major benefit for the automotive customers: Sonderhoff (Suzhou) Sealing Systems offers the material systems together with the dispensing machines. Optimal process stability and fine-tuned adaption of the used material with the setup parameters of the mixing and dosing machine is guaranteed. Thus, the customers get everything from one source.
