Henkel’s Two-Step Surface Treatment Process Facilitates Manufacture of Multi-Metal Auto Bodies
DUSSELDORF, Germany – In cooperation with Audi, Henkel has developed an auto body pre-treatment process. The patented two-step process enables surface treatment of multi-metal auto bodies with aluminum content of up to 100%. In zinc phosphating, which was the conventional process, the volume of waste products increases as the aluminum content of mixed-material bodies rises. These are very costly to remove from the pre-treatment bath and the surfaces that are treated in them.
Due to the different surface properties of steel and aluminum body components, the Bonderite two-step process pretreats them in two stages. This allows more aluminum to be used, while reducing the disadvantages of the current process, i.e. energy and chemical use decrease during the production process. Servicing expenses, the associated downtime and waste volumes are also reduced.