Bonding or welding metals: these are the 4 main advantages of bonding over welding or mechanical fixation
1. Uniform stress distribution
When an adhesive is used to bond metal, the tension is uniformly distributed across the connection. This is in contrast to other joining techniques, in which the tension is concentrated at the connecting points. This peak tension creates a local load and a less durable bond.
2. Efficient
The adhesive to metal application process is faster than the connection process of other joining techniques, such as using screws or welding. Furthermore, in many cases adhesives are suitable for bonding, as well as for sealing seams, joints and overlaps. This therefore eliminates an extra sealing step.
3. Esthetic benefits
Bonding metals also yields benefits in terms of the vehicle's appearance. This is because the bond is invisible in the exterior. MS polymer adhesives adhere to virtually any surface, which results in a large freedom of choice of materials. Furthermore, elastic MS polymer adhesives are easy to paint over and provide for a smooth surface in comparison to nuts and bolts.
4. Protection against corrosion
An elastic adhesive that also seals furthermore provides extra protection against various forms of corrosion. Contact corrosion can occur when two metals with a potential difference come into contact with each other. The use of adhesive, instead of screws, for example, creates a non-electrically conductive barrier between the two different metals and prevents contact corrosion.
More information about the benefits of elastic bonding is available here.