Interior seam sealing

Robots are used to dispense adhesives and sealants throughout the automotive industry today. Automation requirements will be examined for windshield bonding to the vehicle, door manufacturing, passenger compartment interior seam sealing, and the application of sealants during the buildup of the vehicle body. These account for the vast majority of robotic sealant and adhesive dispensing applications in the automotive industry. 

Operations using perchloric acid for digestions or heated dissolutions should be performed in perchloric acid hoods that are specifically constructed for this purpose. Perchloric acid, being extremely reactive, can produce explosive perchlorates with metals that are touch- or shock-sensitive. Thus, the interior lining of these hoods must be constructed of nonreactive materials (such as stainless steel) with sealed seams to facilitate decontamination. These hoods are normally fitted with equipment for washing down the interior of the hood exhaust system after perchloric acid use to prevent the buildup of explosive perchlorate residues. The entire exhaust system must be independent of other exhaust systems connected to other chemical hoods. These hoods must be clearly labeled as perchloric acid work only. Anyone using perchloric acid should seek special training in these operations. 

Seams, e.g. at places where fixed cupboards are placed against the wall, should be closed with a well-chosen acid-resistant joint sealant. Any seam should have a width between 2 and 4 mm to safeguard that the sealant will stick firmly into the joint. Wall coimectors for electricity and ICT provisions must not give entry for contaminated air or vermin. Therefore the interior supply pipes should be made airtight with sealant. In practice usually a hollow wall modular constmction is used for clean room building ( Metal Stud , see Figure 27.5) with aU pipework and tubes sealed within the wall. 

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