The adhesive application and metering system specialist
SCA, with headquarters in Bretten, Germany, develops and produces systems and equipment for the application of adhesives and sealants. The product range includes all the components required for handling the adhesive or sealant, for controlled adhesive application, for interchange with the robot, for system diagnosis and for process data storage, from the adhesive pump through to the application nozzle. SCA has comprehensive process expertise and has earned a reputation for excellent quality, especially in the automobile industry.
SCA is an adhesive application and metering system specialist with more than 400 employees throughout the world, including 60 employees in the development department alone. The company operates 35 offices and service bases in 27 countries. SCA, which has been part of the Atlas Copco Group since 2011, recorded sales of about €128 million in 2013.
Established in 1986 SCA rapidly earned a reputation for premium products, especially in the automobile industry. The extremely high quality requirements in this sector of industry means that SCA products can also be used successfully in many other sectors which are similarly demanding.
SCA Schucker Automation Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Building 3, No. 816, Ronghua Road
Songjiang District, Shanghai
People's Republic of China, 201611
What is bonding?
As a joining technology, adhesive bonding has a large number of advantages which are increasingly being recognized in general industry. For example, structural adhesive bonds are being used more and more frequently in the domestic appliance, agricultural and construction machinery, railway rolling stock and aerospace industries. In terms of functionality, design, convenience and the feel of products of all types, requirements are steadily growing and can often only be met by using a combination of different materials. If it is necessary to join together materials such as stainless steel, aluminium, fibre composites and glass, adhesive bonding is the only solution. This is the only joining technology that does not change the properties of the material concerned. In addition, adhesive bonding is reliable and especially economical.
Innovation centres
The innovation centres are ideal facilities for developing new adhesives, sealants and application processes fast and cost-effectively to the point where they can be used for efficient production. These highly practical “laboratories” are not only used for testing products developed by SCA; the highly experienced teams work together with customers to find solutions for their applications. Fully equipped robot cells are available for work in cooperation with the specialists.
All the preliminary tests required can be carried out at the application centres under realistic near-production conditions, allowing specific, practically relevant results to be obtained within a short space of time. Specimen parts for material testing, in some cases equivalent to the material later used for production, help accelerate the decision-making process for the introduction of new technologies.
Not only adhesive manufacturers, but also the automobile industry and other companies, use the innovation centres for the testing of innovative technologies both on a day-to-day basis and for longer test phases. Throughout the world, more than 200 test series are carried out each year.
Core competences
Comprehensive process expertise is one of the core competences of SCA and means that the company stands out from pure product manufacturers. The main focus is on the application of adhesives and sealants with flow or pressure control irrespective of the material viscosity. A controller developed in-house, which is one of the most tried and tested products developed in this area, ensures precise, even material application, even at very high robot speeds.
The functionality of the controller is continuously improved by connection to bus systems or extended diagnostic functions. The patented closed control loop ensures the highest possible accuracy in application. This saves time and material, because manual reworking is no longer needed.
SCA is thoroughly conversant with application technologies for all the materials and processes used by the automobile industry. The high requirements in the automobile industry serve as an example for other sectors of industry.
By close cooperation with industry and material manufacturers, SCA ensures that application procedures are always in accordance with the state of the art of production technology.
Service portfolio
As a long-standing system partner to the automobile industry, SCA has repeatedly played a key role in the optimization of production processes. The company now deploys its interdisciplinary competence in many other sectors of industry.
The main emphasis is on the following processes:
- Adhesive bonding
- Sealing
- Application
- Waterproofing
SCA is among the market leaders in many fields thanks to a number of factors including the systems developed in-house, for example for the optical quality assurance of adhesive bonds directly during application. The Vision System of SCA includes a special camera system which means that downstream tests are no longer required.
In addition, solutions such as intelligent flushing and material recovery or optimized barrel emptying for adhesives, sealants and insulating materials make for more effective deployment of materials, reducing disposal expenses and ensuring more efficient use of resources.
SCA Schucker GmbH & Co. KG
Gewerbestr. 52
75015 Bretten-Goelshausen