Enabling Lightweight Design with Tapes & Patches
Stiffen body panels, thin metal sections or high-stress areas for multi-materials
Effective Use of Structural Tapes & Patches for Optimal Lightweight Design
Designing wtih lightweight material, such as high-strength steel and aluminum, means extra structural reinforcement is needed. Structural tapes and patches add strength and stiffness without excess weight. They ensure design flexibility through expansion to fill a variety of cavity sizes, along with availability as custom die cuts to fit different application needs.
A sandwich design is used for structural patches to help decrease panel deformation by placing a heat curing epoxy sealant laminated between a fiberglass reinforceing layer and metal substrate.
Typical application areas for structural tapes include window frames, pillar to roof, pillar to rocker, rocker and rail sections. Structural patch application areas include door panels, hoods, fenders, body side outers and roof panels.