The award winning Boss Polymer Technologies BossWeld® co extrusion process has won its first order from an OEM supplier in the demanding automotive market, with an external weather seal fitted to the new Holden VE Ute.
Needing a high performance door to quarter window seal with no separate fixing components, GM Holden engineers recommended Boss to its glass supplier Saint-Gobain Sekurit. BossWeld is a patented technology for co extruding one or more polymer compounds together with pressure sensitive self adhesive tape. A winner of a SAE-A Automotive Engineering Excellence Award, this single extrusion process reduces material, labour and production costs and enables the customer to select the type of pressure sensitive self adhesive tape best suited to the task.
The Holden VE Ute seal is highly visible on the vehicle and must function to meet strict weather, noise and vibration seal standards. “This seal is in the cabin side air flow and must be flexible to conform to shape when the door is closed, yet firm to hold out passing air and prevent noise. The surface must also hold a very thin layer of low friction coating,” explained Boss director Norman Mills.
“To achieve a tight seal at high speed, we co extruded two different grades of Santoprene® elastomer onto the pressure sensitive self adhesive tape. For this component, GM Holden specified a life of vehicle strength bond and this required a high quality self adhesive tape,” he said.
The VE quarter window is manufactured using the Saint-Gobain Sekurit “encapsulation” process in which the glass and the components used to fix it to the vehicle are placed in a mould. To hold the components together and provide the required sealing edges, a reaction injection moulding polyurethane compound is injected into the mould.
Saint-Gobain Sekurit product development program manager Sak Suwannasri said this system is designed to streamline the OEM’s production line process. “Boss was our polymer engineering partner on the project over five months to develop the correct elastomer compounds and identify the best self adhesive tape to meet the GM Holden standards,” said Sak Suwannasri. “Boss product development was fast – they did a good job of quickly getting the right polymer mix. There was no other easy solution and we are happy with the quality aesthetic finish achieved.”
Boss supplies custom engineered BossWeld seals to specialist automotive manufacturers such as EGR and ARB, which supply international aftermarket and OEM customers.
Photo captions:
- BossWeldSealHoldenUte – Boss Polymer Technologies won the first OEM supplier order for its SAE-A Automotive Engineering Excellence Award winning ExWeld technology with the quarter window seal for the new Holden VE Ute.
- BossSealSaintGobainSukurit – BossWeld was recommended by GM Holden to its glass supplier Saint-Gobain Sekurit for a life of vehicle weather seal between the door and quarter window on the new Holden VE Ute.
About Boss Polymer Technologies – Boss Polymer Technologies delivers innovative polymer solutions through world’s best practice technology and outstanding service. The company works as the polymer engineering partner to local and international OEMs and component suppliers, and is the market leader in Australian made precision extrusions and engineered plastic and rubber products. An ISO Quality Endorsed manufacturing company, Boss offers technically tailored solutions based on a wealth of manufacturing experience. For more information, visit www.bosspolymer.com.au.