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TruckAds® Frame
Adhesive is Tested Against Rivets, Welding and Epoxy
A trailer manufacturer
evaluated various fastening techniques (including the adhesive used
in TruckAds Frame Kits™) as alternative methods to welding of interior
and exterior truckside body panels. The traditional assembly process
consisted of welding metal panels to the underlying aluminum frame.
Here is the Strength Comparison Test
Procedure
The outdoor "Vibration
and Cold Weather Test" that was conducted, ran continuously for 7 months
(September thru March), with an estimated 7.45 million cycles - equivalent
to about 15 years of over the road truck panel stress. The lifespan
of a truck or trailer is estimated at eight years.
Four fastening techniques were tested. Welding, rivets, one and two-part
epoxy resin adhesives and VHB® adhesive used in the construction of
TruckAds® frames and Truck Ads® Secur-tabs®.
A metal frame testing bed was used for performance analysis of each
of these fastening methods. The test device was suspended by a motorized
rocking arm. The rocking arm, flexed the truck body panel in a 1.24
inch elliptical path at 44 degrees from the panel's vertical center
line at a rate of 500-600 cycles per minute. A test sample of each fastening
type was attached to the device.
Test Results Determines the Strongest
Method
After the first week, all epoxy bonds failed. By the end of the test
period, all riveted portions had broken free and half of the welded
panels had failed or welds had cracked as a result of the continuous
pounding.
1. TRUCKADS FRAME
KIT™ ADHESIVE (no connections failed)
2. Welding (half of all connections failed)
3. Rivets (all connections failed)
4. Epoxy™ Glue
(all connections failed) |
"The panel fastened with the TruckAds® frame adhesive was still secure
at the end of the seven month test period and showed no signs of
failure."
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