Lightweighting Solutions for Body-in-White

Our cross-industry expertise allows 3M to provide advanced material technology to automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers. 3M™ Glass Bubbles are microscopic, hollow glass microspheres that feature an extremely high strength-to-density ratio. This material is supplied as a polymer additive that can replace heavier materials without sacrificing the integrity of the component. In fact, it can reduce density in plastics, composites and coatings by up to 50%. 3M™ Glass Bubbles can be used in injection molded parts and sheet molded composites (SMCs), ideal for lightweight door panels hoods and trunk lids. They are also commonly used in seam sealing and underbody coatings.

Please contact a 3M expert to discuss your specific application.

Designed for flowability when heated in conventional paint ovens, our melt sealing tapes are ideal for filling holes and seams to create smooth, consistent surfaces. We provide these tapes for design flexibility, including thicker tapes for use on uneven spaces and thin, .5 mm tapes for applications where packaging space is a particular challenge.

3M delivers structural adhesive liquids that allow for the replacement of heavy mechanical fasteners in many applications. These liquids can be applied quickly and efficiently and provide flexible working times. They are heat-cured to structural strength at variable rates using established OEM processes, so there's usually no need to add process steps for adhesive cure. Many are formulated for longer storage and lower cure temperatures (induction curing as low as 80°C), which is ideal for bonding materials such as carbon fiber without distortion or resin degradation.

Many of our two-part epoxy structural adhesives are available in Duo-Pak cartridge and bulk containers and can be applied with 3M application equipment that allows for precise, consistent mix ratios and minimal product waste.

The power of 3M structural adhesives in a tape format can bond to a full range of metal substrates, so you can design using a much greater selection of metals. These tapes are ideal for added precision where clean, complete application is critical, and where corrosion is a main concern. Structural adhesive tapes improve quality by reducing variability of application and can bond to a variety of metal substrates. They also expand during cure to fill gaps, which can help reduce warranty claims in some applications. Structural adhesive tapes are especially useful for bonding long, thin areas where the use of spot welds or mechanical fasteners has traditionally required extra time, labor and weight.