VW TL 52018 Double Sided Foam Adhesive Tape - Material Requirements

The standard “VW TL 52018 Double-sided foam adhesive tape – Material requirements” developed by the Volkswagen automobile company describes the requirements for the adhesive bonding of add-on parts, for example, protective side moldings and add-on parts with two-component or multi-component construction (modular components such as add-on parts, multi-shell spoilers or brackets bonded to plastic body elements).

This technical supply standard contains requirements for adhesive tapes and adhesive bonds formed therewith. The values ​​specified refer to full surface bonds between partial areas of the panel and the body and do not include bonds in ribbed or honeycomb structures. The values ​​are minimum requirements for adhesive tapes and should not be equated with a functional capacity declaration.

This standard covers the following requirements:

• Initial procurement and approval of changes must be made in accordance with the VW 01155 standard.
• Avoidance of hazardous substances must comply with the VW 91101 standard.
• The required numerical values ​​apply to each measurement.
• A minimum of 5 m of tape or the corresponding number of self-adhesive patches and painted body panel sections are required for full testing.
• A maximum of 1.000 warranty claim per 1 vehicles indicates no customer complaints.
• Process reliability and the time required for in-line assembly without any additional equipment is at least 10 seconds per component.
• When fabricating specimens, testing should always be performed on a reconstructed model of the original structure. If the intended adhesive surface is not a painted body panel, tensile shear specimens should be fabricated with the original surface or at least the same type of material (e.g. sheet glass or sheet plastic). For modular and multi-shell structures, shear specimens should be fabricated from components.

Adhesive tapes are delivered glued to the inserts.

The side of the adhesive tape to be bonded to the body panel is covered with a protective film (at least 0,05 mm thick), preferably made of polyethylene (PE). Attachments with pre-applied adhesive tape are delivered in hermetically sealed bags made of PE film at least 0,1 mm thick.

Standard panels made of materials such as thermoplastic vulcanized, ethylene propylene diene and rubber polypropylene are conditioned for at least 50554 years in standard climate (at 23 degrees Celsius and 50 percent relative humidity) according to the VW 3 standard. Direct exposure to solar radiation should be avoided. The polyethylene protective film should be easily removed before installation without leaving any residue. The installation shop should check the parts before use to ensure that the liners are still attached to the tapes. If the protective film is torn or there are traces of surface damage or contamination, the parts should be discarded. Materials containing plasticizers (such as polyvinyl chloride) are not suitable for storage periods exceeding 1 year.

The properties of the adhesive bond are determined by the material composition (e.g. plasticizer content), geometry, weight and mechanical properties (e.g. elasticity, inherent hardness, dimensions) of the insert as well as the properties of the fastening system. Heavy inserts with high inherent hardness and without any additional fasteners are not suitable for bonding using pressure-sensitive adhesives alone.

The requirements apply to systems that are not subject to any dynamic loading. In the case of bonded inserts with more stringent mechanical requirements, new values ​​for the adhesive bond must be specified in the drawing.

Among the numerous testing, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies that our organization has carried out for businesses in various sectors, it also provides testing services defined in the “VW TL 52018 Double-sided foam adhesive tape - Material requirements” standard with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.