Adhesives and Sealants in the Transportation Market

Adhesive bonding has become a strong enabler in demanding sub-segments of this industry such as automotive, aircraft, and marine. Transportation adhesives and bonding processes have had to become increasingly sophisticated to meet the needs of today's market. This trend has been always driven by concerns about performance and durability. But more recently the focus also includes cost reduction, weight savings, safety, and regulatory demands.

Adhesives are used to assemble:

They are routinely used in both structural and non-structural applications. In addition to their prime purpose of fastening, adhesives are also asked to do many other jobs. Depending on the application, they may need to seal, damp vibrations, be electrically insulating or conducting, provide corrosion resistance, or perform a variety of other functions.

Other transportation sub-segments such as railcars, people movers (elevators, escalators), mobile homes, etc. also make use of adhesive bonding. They are not specifically included in this report, but many of the materials, processes, and standards have been copied or developed out of the auto, air or marine industries.