Automotive

Plasma and Corona Treatment in the Automotive Industry

Working with plastic materials such as PE, PP, PS and EPDM, you have already experienced the challenges low surface energy present to you. It is impossible to achieve durable high quality results in bonding, coating, printing and varnishing processes.These processes depend on high surface energy and to reach this, surface treatment is necessary. Plasma and Corona treatment changes the chemical structure in the surface of plastic materials and rises the surface energy resulting in improved adhesion and wettability properties. Plasma and Corona Surface Treatment is a preferred and suitable solution in the automotive industry and we customize the machines to suit your product and production line.

With Plasma and Corona Treatment, you have the ability to achieve:

• Even and uniform treatment to all surfaces on Three Dimensional parts
• Treatment of specific spots on Three Dimensional parts
• Treatment of large parts
• Surface cleaning on metal
• Surface modification without affecting the bulk material.
• Cost efficiency and long lasting durability of adhesion properties
• Environmental friendly solutions that meets regulative requirements

Plasma and Corona Surface Treatment is applied for surface activation of:

• Interior parts
• Exterior parts
• Powertrain parts
• Profiles

Examples from the Automotive Industry

There are several examples from the automotive industry that showcase the benefits of corona and plasma treatment.

At Tantec, we have collaborated with a wide range of automakers to roll out our atmospheric plasma system.

This technology is widely used because it can be easily integrated into preexisting manufacturing lines and the robotic arms used to apply the treatment can be easily programmed to follow specified trajectories for pinpoint accuracy.

Secondly, EPDM profiles, used often in extrusion lines for automotive components like seals and gaskets, are another example of a material that benefits greatly from plasma treatment.

By treating the extrusion with plasma as it moves through the production line, manufacturers can achieve improved adhesion capabilities while maintaining high production speeds. This process also ensures thorough and uniform treatment of the material, promoting consistent bonding and sealing performance throughout the entire length of the extruded part.

Thirdly, vacuum plasma treatment is another popular solution for the automotive industry, especially for larger and more complex parts. By placing these components inside a vacuum chamber, they can be treated 360 degrees in a short period of time.

This ensures comprehensive surface treatment of the entire part and optimizes the plastics for adhesion. The approach not only saves time and resources but also provides complete process control, as parts can be tracked through the system to ensure full treatment.

Lastly, Tantec’s SpotTEC system uses corona treatment to target specific areas on parts for printing or gluing. This technology is highly versatile and can be integrated into inline processes or mounted onto XYZ gantry systems for precision treatment of parts with unique geometries.