Rimless spectacles, floor-to-ceiling windows, infinity pools… Sometimes glass just looks better without a metal frame around it. And automotive design is certainly trending in this direction. Throughout key markets such as China, the Americas and the EU, luxury car buyers are increasingly opting for vehicles with a sleek and modern design featuring a frameless door or flush glass appearance. But this distinctive design choice comes with some very specific technical requirements.
Frameless doors present a number of challenges for automakers. Firstly, to create a comfortable interior environment, there must be no gap between the window glass and the car body. To achieve this, EPDM rubber weather strips are placed around the edges of the car’s body to form a tight seal with the window when the door is closed. But for a truly effective seal, these strips need the correct coating.
Elastomer coatings use a customised blend of resins and haptic additives to optimise the rubber’s surface for maximum sealing performance. They also provide specific technical characteristics, including noise reduction, increased abrasion and UV resistance, impermeability, and reduced silicone transfer. But these coatings don’t just offer a range of performance benefits – they also have many aesthetic advantages for automotive designers.
Frameless doors are increasingly a feature of the high-end automotive market, and the right elastomer coating can help create the look and feel of luxury. At Stahl, we work with customers to create coatings with specific visual and tactile properties by tailoring the ingredients and particulate size. From soft-touch haptics to matte finishes, our coatings enable OEMs to create door seals that complement the overall vehicle design.
Noise reduction is another important factor in the creation of a luxurious automotive experience. When the windows of frameless doors are raised or lowered, the contact between the seal and the glass can cause unpleasant squeaks. This is particularly problematic in electric vehicles, where the quietness of the engine amplifies such noises. Stahl’s RelcaSil® range directly addresses this issue with targeted squeak prevention.
Door closure technology is another key consideration when choosing the right elastomer coating. Some vehicles are equipped with an ‘indexing’ mechanism that causes the entire window to fall slightly away from the seal when the door is opened. This provides a stronger seal when the door is closed, but this can also cause annoying squeaks – yet another reason why elastomer coatings need to have built-in noise-reduction properties.
With a wide range of coatings for elastomer seals available, Stahl is the ideal partner to turn your automotive vision into reality. We work with world-renowned OEMs to enhance their frameless door designs, enabling a quieter closing action, a more secure seal and a longer-lasting appearance. Our Relcasil® range is water based, environmently concious and tailored to the requirements of substrates for consistently impressive results.
Want to learn more about the design possibilities of elastomer coatings? Discover the full RelcaSil® range today.
Anne Craig
Global Market Manager - Elastomer Coatings & In Mould Coatings