Windshields – VOC-free bonding of glass

When installing windshields in automotive manufacturing, the ceramic-coated edges of the glass panes have to be bonded with a painted flange area of the metal body. To achieve the necessary adhesion, it has been imperative until now to treat such ceramic-coated glass surfaces with chemical primers. These primers contain easily volatile solvents that are released into the environment during production and, to some degree, also later in the car itself.

Ford Motor Company has succeeded for the first time in replacing this entire wet-chemical pretreatment with an environmentally friendly, VOC-free and fully automated process plasma polymer nano-coating with the PlasmaPlus® process is an excellent application in the area of adhesive technology.

First, Openair-Plasma® cleaning provides a micro-fine cleaning and, at the same time, high surface activation of the ceramic coating. The PlasmaPlus® nano-coating selectively applied immediately following the cleaning ensures reliable adhesion of polyurethane (PU) adhesives to the glass-ceramic surface of the windshield.

Environmentally friendly, no VOCs: primer-free bonding of windshields with Openair-Plasma® coating

ADVANTAGES OF
PLASMA TREATMENT

of windshields with
Openair-Plasma® and PlasmaPlus®

  • Reliable ultrafine cleaning with simultaneous high uniform surface activation
  • Complete elimination of solvents containing VOC
  • Reliable adhesion of glass-ceramic surfaces and metal
  • High process availability, full process automation, easy inline integration
  • Reduction of material and operating costs
  • Environmentally friendly and cost-efficient

Larry Haack

Ford Motor Company Research and Innovation Center, Dearborn, MI, USA

The new patented process has the potential to reduce costs.

- Larry Haack, Ford Motor Company Research and Innovation Center, Dearborn, MI, USA

Plasma Treatment for bonding of glass-ceramic surfaces

Primers eliminated thanks to Openair-Plasma® treatment for bonding of glass-ceramic surfaces.

Windshield Bonding. Plasma treatment and nano-coating of windshields

Shorten the production process for windshield bonding with Openair-Plasma® treatment and PlasmaPlus® nano-coating.

Upcoming Exhibitions and Events

Get to know Plasma up close at our trade fairs and events!

Trade Fair
09. - 12. Apr 2024

PaintExpo

World's Leading Trade Fair for Industrial Coating Technology

Hall 1, booth 1210

Messe Karlsruhe

Messeallee 1

76287 Rheinstetten

Trade Fair
06. - 10. May 2024

NPE 2024

The Plastics Show

West Building Level 2 - Expo Hall, Booth W7479

Orange County Convention Center

Orlando, Florida

Trade Fair
08. - 09. May 2024

E-Tech Europe

Exhibition and Conference on Advanced Batteries and Innovative Technologies for Automotive and Electric Vehicle Production

Booth A39-B40, hall 21

Bologna Exhibition Centre

Bologna

Italy