About 27 pounds of adhesives go into the typical car today, up from 18 pounds a decade ago, said Daniel Murad, chief executive of ChemQuest Group Inc., a Cincinnati consulting firm.
In aerospace, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner illustrates adhesives' growing importance. About half of the Dreamliner airframe is made of carbon fiber. The fuselage is produced by wrapping a mold with tape "impregnated" with epoxy, and baked under pressure to bond materials. Each of the air frame's five sections uses between 40,000 and 50,000 fewer metal fasteners than conventional airliners, Boeing said.
Photo of hot melt adhesives from H B Fuller
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