Assembly technique for control panel enclosures with the combined use of adhesive and rivets and the reduction of energy consumption

We have developed a new assembly method of metal enclosures in which the combined use of acrylic adhesives and rivets (fasteners) are adopted as an alternative to arc welding. We have achieved the following effects: (1) elimination of skill working such as welding operation and strain correction, (2) improvement of working environment by the elimination of welding operation and putty work, (3) simplification of manufacturing process and cost reduction by introducing heatless bonding method (adhesive bonding), (4) compatibility of rigidity with weight reduction of products, (5) total energy consumption decrease to 78% by adopting this new assembly method, to 64% by thinner galvanized steel and to 51% by pre-coated steel. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.