The need for improving automotive assembly, energy-efficiency, performance, durability and quality is intensifying as customer demands and competitive pressures drive the industry toward unrelenting improvements in energy conservation, cost, quality and speed to market, without compromising the vehicle capacity, performance, appearance and affordability to which North Americans have become accustomed. This presentation describes the need for and the development and use of infrared detection methods to assure the joint quality of friction welds in thermoplastic assemblies and to monitor adhesive bond-joint curing in metal assemblies. Some remaining barriers to the wider applications of this technology in the quality assurance of joints in automotive body structures will also be presented as indicators of further research and development opportunities.
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