Seat comfort is becoming of increasing concern to motorists. While massage seats are still the reserve of the premium segment, lumbar supports are now breaking through into the mass market. Alfmeier Präzision Aktiengesellschaft, a leading provider of the lordosis valves for these, relies on DELO’s adhesives for reliable products and rapid manufacturing.
Humans are not designed for sitting, and yet we spend countless hours on office or kitchen chairs, on the sofa, or in the car. It's hardly surprising that disc problems have become a lifestyle disease with eleven million suffering from back pain in Germany alone. Among the automotive sector and its customers, however, there has been a fundamental rethink with greater emphasis being placed on healthy and comfortable sitting.
Comfort transcends class boundaries
Lordosis valves play an important role here. These little helpers have primarily become known as pneumatic actuators for lumbar supports. Initially reserved for the premium segment, they are now increasingly found on the mass market. Another trend is that they are becoming smaller and lighter, which means that they can be installed as valve islands without taking up too much valuable space. They are also becoming more multifunctional and are no longer used just for backrest supports, but also for backrest width adjustment and seat massage functions. In a current top of the range model, for an additional 2000 euros, it is even possible to get 14 temperature controlled air cushions that mold exactly to the contour of your body.
Every second counts
The seal between the electrical connection and the housing bushing is crucial for the reliable functioning of Alfmeier's valves – after all, the operating pressure can be 1 – 1.5 bar, or even 2.5 bar in some cases. In order to seal these contacts, Alfmeier uses an encapsulation technique with adhesives. Other processes, such as insert molding, are out of the question, because it's not just reliability that is important to Alfmeier – speed is of the essence here too. The focus here is on simple adhesive dispensing and rapid curing. This is the only way in which the company can achieve the short cycle times required to implement actual series production processes that include an in-line functional check of the seal.
Alfmeier selected DELO Industrial Adhesives as its project partner. The mid-sized company, with its portfolio of high-end adhesives, was brought on board at an early stage, bringing with it great expertise in bonding processes for large unit volumes. The project involved the setting up and testing of all the production processes, as well as the special modification of the adhesives to the requirements of lordosis valves. "Bonding is an efficient, but sometimes complex joining method. So it's important not just to sell products, but to thoroughly test them beforehand and discuss and plan all production aspects with the customer on an equal footing," says Christian Walther, Head of Sales for Germany at DELO.
Efficient in series production
After a few preliminary tests with numerous products, the final decision was between a one-component adhesive and a two-component adhesive. Due to the considerably quicker curing and simpler handling, it was the one-component, light-curing adhesive that was selected, which also enabled an in-line tightness test. To be more precise, Alfmeier installed a dual-curing adhesive. All areas of the adhesive that are accessible to light are cured with LED lamps, which means that the valves can continue to be handled immediately. In shadowed areas, where the light cannot penetrate, the adhesive is cured by contact with humidity, which ensures good reliability. Alfmeier is relying on DELO’s products for the LED lamps too. These are not only tailored to the adhesive, but also offer a high level of intensity and exceptionally uniform light distribution.
Light-curing adhesives from DELO Industrial Adhesives are used to reliably seal off the pins
The valves are produced on a 6 meter long linear facility, a quarter of which is dedicated to the bonding process. First, the valves are automatically fed in, then the adhesive is dispensed from a pressure tank. Thanks to the aforementioned light-curing process, the pin cast is cured in about 10 seconds, so the total cycle time for dispensing, curing, and quality control is just a few seconds. Alfmeier is therefore well equipped for production growth – which is sure to come, given the boom in comfort seats.
From Treuchtlingen in Germany out into the world
Alfmeier Präzision Aktiengesellschaft is headquartered in Treuchtlingen, Germany, and is one of the most important providers of lordosis valves on the market. Several hundred thousand units roll off its production lines every year. The owner operated family business also supplies the automotive, medical technology, and electronics industries with actuators, pumps, and molded plastic parts. From its development, production, and distribution sites in Germany, the Czech Republic, China, Korea, the USA, and Mexico, its two thousand employees serve European, American, and Asian OEMs.
Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.
Alongside visiting numerous companies, exhibitions and conferences around the world, Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry.
