AWL-Techniek has its own Adhesive Specialists
The market demand for lightweight structures is increasing, partly driven by legislation and partly by cost-efficiency. Other materials and combinations of materials such as high strength steel, aluminum and plastics are therefore being increasingly used. Since these material combinations cannot be welded, an excellent opportunity for adhesives is provided.
Adhesive bonding may seem a relatively simple process, but it is a complex issue, in which many errors could occur. The process largely determines the quality of the connection. There is no possibility of quality control. Of course you can check if the adhesive bead is laid properly and completely with cameras, but whether the glue itself is of a quality required cannot be controlled. It is therefore crucial to control the entire process.
"Bonding allows us to connect new material combinations and thus realize new construction options for our customers," says Wouter Zweers, Coordinator Development Engineering at AWL.
To make the quality of the process even more manageable, two AWL employees, Mr. Jan Willem Zegwaard (Account Manager) and Mr. Wouter Zweers (Coordinator Development Engineering) recently participated in the "European Adhesive Specialist" course at the Fraunhofer Institut IFAM in Bremen, Germany.
The purpose of the training was to learn how a proper bonding process is put together, how to set it up and what is involved. It also focused on integrating the process in the production chain.
During the 15 days there were three written exams, a practical and an oral exam. Both Zegwaard and Zweers successfully completed the training course and are now "European Adhesive Specialists".
"We know the background, the opportunities and the risks. Now we can support our customers even more and we are able to assess their adhesive processes more comprehensively. This enables us to achieve a good bond," according to Zegwaard.
AWL has a large portfolio and it contains increasingly more applications where bonding is an essential part of the process. With two Adhesive Specialists on board, AWL has sufficient knowledge and skills to provide a suitable solution to even the most complex of applications.