Openair^® plasma is revolutionizing automotive manufacturing
No industry is more demanding than automotive with its need to produce components that are of never-failing quality, high performance, light weight and appealing aesthetics and for them to be produced with extreme efficiency and low environmental impact. These are precisely what Openair^® plasma technology helps deliver.

Openair^® plasma was first used in the automotive industry in 1995 on headlight housings to activate the surfaces between the housing and the transparent lens cover to ensure an enduring bond and watertight seal. Since then Openair^® plasma has been widely used in the automotive industry in a broad range of applications. With our international network, Plasmatreat now supplies nearly every large OEM, as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers globally.

Openair^® plasma combines the advantages of strong and reliable plasma-enabled bonding with the capability to run at production line speeds. Plasma treatment is a safe, highly effective and highly repeatable process where all parameters can be monitored continuously. It is safe and environmentally friendly, and can often eliminate the use of solvents monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency like methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). The technology can be easily scaled according to the size and complexity of the processes required by the customer.

Plasma treatment is QS 9000 compliant. Low-maintenance systems with continuous on-line process control have been reliably operating 24/7 for many years now.

The benefits of Openair^® plasma in automotive
Plasma revolutionized the use of synthetic rubber (EPDM) profiles. In the past, to enable bonding the surfaces were roughened using rotary wire brushes but they were slow, dusty and could damage the parts. Openair^® plasma has replaced this method of pre-treatment and these clumsy processes have been eliminated. Now bonding is more reliable and the surfaces can be finished more easily with anti-stick and cosmetic finishes, such as flocking.

Aside from surface activation for bonding, one of the main benefits of Openair^® plasma has been to clean and functionalize surfaces, so priming is no longer required and parts can be painted and coated using solvent-free finishes. In this way productivity is increased along with dramatic reductions in environmental impact and health risks for employees.

As Openair^® plasma does not require a vacuum, nor extensive shielding, it can be incorporated onto in-line processes and integrated with robot systems. And also, as it is possible to continuously monitor the process, it can be used to pre-treat surfaces for adhesion between structural components.

Openair^® plasma is also used to treat aluminum surfaces, instead of using solvents like acetone. Our new PlasmaPlus^TM technology can be used to promote passivation of the surface so that it is stabilized and does not suffer from excessive corrosion. The coating or adhesive can then bond more strongly and reliably to the metal.

The manufacture of headlights is particularly demanding; they have to be light, strong, resist moisture penetration, relatively inexpensive and they use a combination of materials (lens and reflector) that accentuate defects, plus they need to last many years. Openair® plasma technology has been in large-scale use worldwide for over seven years. Our technology makes it possible to use non-polar, highly filled materials such as PPT40 and new hot melt adhesives such as 1KPUE.
Airbag coverings of polyurethane (PUR) are glued into the polypropylene (PP) coverings using Openair® plasma to remove sprayed on release agents.
Bonding of truck superstructures onto coated surfaces with 2K polyurethane onto epoxy coating is quick and efficient using Openair® plasma, resulting in a high strength assembly. It is reliable, backed up with 100% of plasma monitoring. No cleaning is necessary.

Other examples of automotive applications include:

• Surface functionalization of synthetic rubber (EPDM) weather-stripping prior to adhesion and coating.
• Surface treatment of glass-filled polypropylene (PP) prior to application of gasketing to door modules.
• Surface treatment of fascia material made of thermoplastic olefins (TPO) prior to bonding structural reinforcements and decorative parts.
• Preparation of fenders to increase paint adhesion and reduce the number of steps in the process.
• Bonding of structural reinforcements to sheet molding composite (SMC) structures.
• Surface activation of polypropylene (PP) reinforcement prior to over-molding with polyurethane (PU) skin.
• Cleaning of the surface of thermoplastic olefins (TPO), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) prior to application of base-coat/clear-coat paint systems (1K, 2K, solvent and water-based, polyurethane (PU)).
• Laser welding and local anodizing of aluminum.

If you have a potential application we would be pleased to provide you with advice.
Our production engineers can help specify the correct equipment, materials and processes.