Rainer Schoenfeld

global market strategy head

After graduating in polymer chemistry, Dr Rainer Schoenfeld joined Henkel in 1999. He held positions in research, product development and innovation management in Germany and the USA and was VP of product development for APAC in China. Since 2020 he has led the market strategy for automotive exterior, powertrain, interior and chassis at Henkel Adhesive Technologies.

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Presentation

Innovative Loctite-Laser-Fit direct foam process

Foamed-in-place technical PU foam solutions are the state of the art in many industries. However, despite widespread use in the automotive industry, this solution has not previously been suited for acoustical foam. In the process, an air-impermeable skin is created on the foam surface, which impedes noise absorption and rules out the process for acoustic applications. This lecture will present a new process for the in-situ generation of a specialized α-Methyl-PU foam directly in the tire, and the subsequent acoustic activation of the foam surface using a laser. The advantages of this turnkey solution compared to the existing process will be shown.