Henkel has introduced a new product to its comprehensive range of automotive pre-applied threadlocker coatings, Loctite DRI 2250-W, which it says is the first ever water-based flowable pre-applied threadlocker available that meets automotive specification requirements.
Automotive applications present some of the biggest challenges for manufacturers. Screws and fasteners take on the toughest environments, withstanding vibrations without coming loose or compromising safety. Threadlockers bring the high-speed throughput of a flowable product, with the sustainability advantages of a water-based material. Areas of application within a vehicle include transmission and gearbox fasteners, the axle, engine fasteners as well as other internal areas such as the seat fasteners or electronic fasteners.
As a pre-applied film, the threadlocker is dry to the touch and remains an inert coating until assembly. During assembly, microcapsules contained within the coating are crushed and release an active ingredient that initiates the anaerobic curing process. When cured, Loctite DRI 2250-W also acts as a thread sealant. It eliminates the need to apply liquid sealants, adhesives, or any other mechanical locking or sealing device to threaded parts during manual or automatic assembly and is flow coatable for higher output speeds.
“Unlike competitor products that use toluene and other solvents, Loctite DRI 2250-W enables high-speed throughput similar to solvents but is water-based,” explains Rainer Schoenfeld, global market strategy director for exterior, powertrain, interior and chassis at Henkel. “This provides automotive OEMs and suppliers with a sustainable and more environmentally friendly choice that doesn’t compromise on performance.”
Loctite DRI 2250-W offers high temperature resistance of over 200ºC as well as chemical resistance. Scott Simmons, business development manager, North America, explains: “Traditional products fail to maintain room temperature (RT) break loose strength and can typically lose around 50%, or in some cases more, of their strength at 150ºC. By contrast, DRI 2250-W maintains RT strength beyond 150ºC and in most cases can achieve this up to 200ºC.”
Further advantages of Loctite DRI 2250-W include its low coefficient of friction. Tested on multiple plating surfaces, the material maintains a coefficient of friction between 0.10 – 0.16. It also shows ideal performance on all plating types, including the newer zinc-flake coating, with added lubricity.
As with the rest of Henkel’s threadlocker coating range, Loctite DRI 2250-W is a water-based product that ensures that manufacturing, application, drying, and assembly processes are environmentally sustainable. Its water-based chemistry contains no solvents or halogen. By coating components such as screws or fasteners with Loctite pre-applied threadlockers, they can be reused after disassembly by applying the appropriate liquid Loctite threadlocking or thread sealing product.
Loctite DRI 2250-W has already implemented in a production environment with a seat manufacturer. The company demanded a high-level of fastener integrity during lifecycle testing but was experiencing inconsistent results with critical fasteners due to variances in the supply chain. Hence, they sought a pre-applied threadlocker that could overcome these inconsistencies, while also being able to work on contaminated zinc-flake plated fasteners.
Henkel’s Loctite DRI 2250-W was an ideal solution. The company ensures this pre-applied threadlocker performs equally well on all fastener types including stainless steel and zinc-flake plated fasteners and works effectively on both clean and contaminated fasteners. It demonstrated consistent bolt clamp load across a broad service temperature range and high vibration loading, while also providing excellent performance with good serviceability across many different fastener sizes.
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