Adhesives are a Driving Force in the Automotive Mobility Space

By, Rajaey Kased, Henkel Corporation

 

The growth of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is unprecedented! With the current adoption rate of 20%, it is expected to grow dramatically over the next few years as proliferation continues and new technologies deliver greater levels of safety behind the wheel.

What was once considered a feature for high-end luxuries is now becoming common, optional – sometimes even standard – features on today’s mid- and upper-range vehicles. Working in isolation or collaborating to proactively deliver notifications, warnings, and interventional actions to enhance driver safety.

These computer-driven systems rely on a combination of external sensors including cameras, radar, and LIDAR to identify objects, pedestrians, and potential hazards to provide advanced measures of safety and accident prevention.  Cameras are mainly used for classification of the objects it sees as well as lane departure.  Radar detects the existence of an object, its distance, and closing speed to the vehicle.  LIDAR offers more precise detection of multiple objects, sensing capability at night, and provides redundancy in the system. 

 

ADAS Active Safety Systems are Automatically Sensing the Environment Around the Vehicle

These high-performance devices either control the vehicle directly in a significant safety event or indicate to the driver that a change should be made to the vehicle’s operation.  This “training” of the drivers to learn how to interact with this type of smart vehicle will prove to be one of the most significant challenges for successful ADAS implementation since it would require: 1. Changing a human’s habit (which is never fun and easy) 2. Will be different for each vehicle (OEMs are differentiating themselves through ADAS).  

Now, think of the environment in which the highly sensitive electronics of ADAS operate. Not only are the cameras and sensors exposed to external harsh chemicals and oils, but also external elements of weather and road conditions, where they need to be protected from hard-hitting flying debris. Their, but their  surfaces also need to keep clear when it rains or snows, as well as be resistant to oils in order to relay critical information accurately and in real-time. In addition, the cameras and sensors must have built-in thermal management to address the heat from the electronics. that does not dissipate on its own.

 

Henkel Solutions

Henkel offers a variety of material solutions for ADAS cameras and radars to enable them to perform at optimal levels no matter the environment:

Bonding solutions (die attach adhesive, lens bonding adhesive, threadlocking adhesive) include:

  • LOCTITE EA 5470 for radar enclosure sealings liquid foam gasket enables more efficient and effective battery pack design. It is a soft, low compression set gasket that is UV cured. It’s a rapid-set material and can be applied prior to assembly, which reduces work-in-process.
  • LOCTITE 3217 for camera lens bonding.  Enabling high precision 6 axis alignment of the lens to the camera imager. This dual cure adhesive provides the immediate strength after alignment and UV cure, and the long-term durability after thermal cure to ensure accurate alignment for the life of the product.
  • Liquid gasketing solutions, applied robotically to provide design and process flexibility by sealing through adhesion or compression to provide long-term automotive fluid resistance

Connecting solutions (electrically conductive adhesives, printed inks, solder materials)

Protecting solutions (conformal coatings, module sealants, potting)

For complete details and product solution, please download the presentation ADAS Camera and Radar Solutions.