Henkel opens new composite test center

Henkel's newly opened Composite Lab in Heidelberg, Germany, is a state-of-the-art test facility. Here automotive customers can team up with Henkel experts to develop and test composite parts and to figure out the best production process condition to make their ideas market-ready.

As a global leader in adhesives, sealants and functional coatings for the automotive industry, Henkel is always striving to create a competitive advantage for its customers along the entire value chain of car manufacturing. It works closely with its industrial customers to create tailor-made, integrated solutions for automotive OEMs and suppliers, particularly related to cost efficiency and suitability for high volume production. Henkel’s products make vehicles quieter, lighter and more durable, while providing comfort, strength and safety.

Meeting customer needs for fast, reliable and scalable production of Composites

Automotive OEMs and Tier-1s are constantly seeking cost-effective processes suitable for production of more than 10,000 parts per year. They also want custom-formulated, fast-curing resins for use in short production cycles. This magnifies the importance of having reliable partners with in-house test capabilities, which are close to series production conditions. That’s precisely why Henkel has opened its Composite Lab, where customers can do trials using high-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM) equipment. The HP-RTM machine includes a 380 tons press and injection equipment for Polyurethanes and Epoxy materials.

Henkel's diverse composites portfolio includes:

• Composite matrix resins - the Loctite MAX series is suitable for glass and carbon fiber, designed for the RTM process. This range also includes binders and release agents for fiber-reinforced components.
• Composite adhesives - the Loctite series is ideal for multi-substrate bonding and assembly.
• Process know-how and engineering expertise - for resin transfer molding process and the simulation and characterization of composite parts.

Now OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers can come into the Henkel Composites Lab and work with our experts to learn first-hand what the options and possibilities may be for using advanced composite materials with short cycle times in their vehicles.

More information on the Composite Lab can be found at: www.composite-lab.com.