High-Performance Solutions Through Expert Automotive Material Selection & Converting
EIS has many years of experience in the automotive industry, providing automotive manufacturing materials for applications such as masking for truck headlights, automotive gasket materials, electrical insulation materials, thermal management materials, and die-cut materials that attach the carpeting in an automobile. EIS addresses requirements for automotive applications that require expert material selection and converting services to provide high-performance solutions.
Electrical Insulation for High-Performance Motors in HEVs and EVs
As new high-performance technologies become available for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and fully electric vehicles (EVs), EIS provides electrical insulating expertise and materials to manage these high-temperature environments. EIS can help design engineers working with HEVs and EVs develop innovative electrical insulation solutions, electrical conductivity, EMI/RFI shielding, heat dissipation, and cushioning for vibration absorption.
Insulation/Thermal Management in Batteries
The use of large lithium-ion batteries is gaining acceptance in automotive applications. EIS can provide insulation and thermal management expertise. For example, we can deliver die-cut, insulating foam to cushion and protect the battery, hot melt adhesives for potting, and silicon sponges from improving heat dissipation – a key concern for lithium-ion batteries.
Adhesives
For exterior panels used in truck trailers, ambulances, and recreational vehicles, thin bonding acrylic foam tapes and structural adhesives and sealants are effective alternatives that eliminate the rough surfaces of welds and the rattling and panel flexing of metal fasteners. Logos, graphics, and trim provide other opportunities where adhesives offer aesthetic and functional advantages over metal joining techniques. The interior of automobiles is another area where adhesives play a significant role. For example, thin bonding tapes can invisibly adhere window switch plates and other plastic trim pieces to hard-to-adhere surfaces, such as vinyl substrates.
Taping/Masking
Taping requirements for vehicles vary depending on the location. Harness tapes in the engine room must be flame retardant and heat resistant, while other locations, such as external body locations, require weather-proof taping solutions or adhesive masking materials. Taping for EMI/RFI shielding must have good conductive and adhesion properties.
Vibration Dampening
Material requirements for applications include conformability to contours of the vehicle body, with good adhesion to oily metal; compatibility with paint bake cycles; weight reduction; and corrosion resistance. Applications include vibration dampening foam and vibration dampening tape. EIS has the application knowledge, materials selection expertise, and converting capability to die-cut materials into the shapes required, dictated by the location in the vehicle, whether on the dash, in the wheelhouse, or in the doors.
Surface Protection
Surface protection requirements vary depending on location in the vehicle. Exterior surfaces require abrasion protection, while interior surface requirements may have special bonding or heat tolerance requirements. The breadth of our materials selection and applications expertise ensure the best design solution for the surface protection requirements of a given project.
Other automotive needs that can be met are:
- Buzz, squeak, and rattle problems
- Black-out materials
- Hole covers
- Patching
- Gasketing, sealing, gap filling/hiding
Materials
A few automotive materials EIS stocks include:
- 3M acrylic foam tapes for body molding attaching
- Transfer tapes, double-coated tapes for component attachment
- BSR tapes
- Flock tape
- UHMW tape
- Polyester and polyethylene tape
- PORON automotive foam
- PVC foam, EPDM, EVA, open, close cell foams with or without PSA
Die-cut materials are supplied in rolls, sheets, pads, or individual pieces with a split-back liner or extended tab for easy liner removal.
EIS has many years of experience supplying specialty converted materials that meet OEM specifications for Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota, and other auto manufacturers.
