In this chapter, adhesive bonding and sealing in automobile production are subdivided schematically into five ranges of application: (1) mechanical parts production, (2) the body shop, (3) the paint shop, (4) the assembly shop, and (5) the manufacturing of components. Depending on the variety of applications, adhesives must satisfy a wide range of requirements. On principle, all body shop adhesives must be usable without risk to the paint shop and they must resist the high temperature of the paint bake ovens. Generally, the bond strength and/or sealing ability must perform under severe conditions for the life of the car. Further requirements depend on:
1. Function of the material (e. g., spot-weld sealants): good corrosion protection, weldability, no HCl or chlorine emitted to cause corrosion when overbaked, good adhesion on the substrates
2. Processing technique: manual or automatic application, bonding at the assembly line or at a separate working site
3. Specific material characteristics (e. g., moisture and/or hot-curing adhesive): curing time, stability in storage, flexibility at low temperatures, hydrolytic stability, aging resistance, adhesion properties
For all ranges of application the adhesives must not only meet the functional requirements but also retain them under a wide variety of conditions during use: impacts, vibrations, climate conditions, extreme changes in temperature, corrosion, and so on.