June 20, 2017—Ford, Mitsubishi and Nissan have approved the Chief Vulcan Adhesive Debonding Unit (ADU) for use in the structural repair of their vehicles.
Vulcan is designed to use infrared heat to break the bonds of structural adhesives joining automotive steel, aluminum and carbon fiber panels. Using the Vulcan ADU, technicians can de-bond panels to reduce the risk of damage to underlying components.
Applying heat is a proven method for releasing adhesives, but although there are several options available for traditional steel panels, tight temperature control is needed to not overheat high-strength steels. Aluminum is more challenging because it dissipates heat very quickly and requires a lot of input energy.
Chief’s unique Vulcan ADU works on any vehicle surface, including aluminum, carbon fiber and steel. It uses very short waves of infrared heat to produce up to 600 degrees of heat concentrated at the surface of the material being treated. This technology heats the surface to a temperature where the first layer of glue underneath releases cleanly. With the adhesive bonds broken, the technician can then easily separate the materials with less risk of damage to either piece. The epoxy remains smooth and hard, not sticky, leaving behind a clean work surface.
