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    Lightening the load for automotive experts

    May 16, 2016
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    Lightening the load for automotive experts

    3M showcased some of its innovative lightweight solutions for the automotive industry - such as liquid adhesives, glass bubbles and ceramic fibres - at a global industry event.

    Lightening the load for automotive experts

    3M showcased some of its innovative lightweight solutions for the automotive industry - such as liquid adhesives, glass bubbles and ceramic fibres - at a global industry event.

    Lightening the load for automotive experts

    3M showcased some of its innovative lightweight solutions for the automotive industry - such as liquid adhesives, glass bubbles and ceramic fibres - at a global industry event.

    • Global Automotive Lightweight Materials summit

      Industry experts gathered at the Global Automotive Lightweight Materials summit in Birmingham from 26-28 April to explore the latest technical innovations.

      The conference featured a number of high profile keynote speakers as well as discussion panels putting the spotlight on new materials and properties; the latest manufacturing techniques and joining technologies; and composite processing.

      As one of the sponsors of the event, 3M hosted a stand showcasing a number of the company's lightweight solutions. These included liquid adhesive and tapes used in multi-material bonding and 3M Glass Bubbles that can be incorporated into plastic and composite materials to lighten them without reducing strength. Other solutions on show included 3M™ Friction Shims, which enhance friction in engines to enable more compact and lightweight designs, and 3M™ Nextel™ Ceramic Fibres that have an incredibly high melting point, allowing them to strengthen aluminium castings and create lighter structures.

      Moving from traditional metal structures towards lighter materials is a major focus for the automotive industry as this helps reduce both emissions and fuel consumption.

      On the second day of the conference, 3M technical manage Edwin Eve gave a presentation explaining how 3M adhesives and pressure sensitive adhesive tapes can help designers and engineers enhance their designs and make their processes more efficient.

      His presentation introduced a range of 3M technologies designed to reduce the weight of whole vehicles, including 3M™ Thinsulate™ Acoustic Insulation, a highly weight efficient sound absorber; taped door seals to replace mechanical fixings; and technologies to join different materials, such as composite to steel, steel to aluminium and different plastics to steel, avoiding the challenges of read through and increased corrosion potential.

      Said Edwin: "These solutions can lead to a weight reduction of up to 179kg per vehicle, reducing CO2 emissions and helping the automotive and other industries meet emissions targets."

      Find out more about Automotive solutions from 3M