Freudenberg Sealing Technology's FACT Process: Adhesive Bonding Without Wet-Chemicals

Why It Matters

By eradicating solvent‑intensive steps, FACT slashes emissions and manufacturing costs while expanding design possibilities for automotive, marine and aviation sectors, giving manufacturers a greener, more resilient bonding solution.

Key Takeaways

• FACT eliminates solvents, cutting CO2 emissions to 1.1% of baseline.
• Bonds elastomers to metals and plastics without layer‑thickness limits.
• Process is fully automated, lowering total cost of ownership.
• Resistant to oils, water, hydrogen, AdBlue, enabling new automotive uses.
• Supports e‑bike battery modules and broader energy‑storage applications.

Pulse Analysis

The adhesive‑bonding landscape has long been dominated by wet‑chemical processes that rely on volatile solvents and binders, creating health, safety and environmental challenges. Freudenberg’s FACT process upends this paradigm by using a dry, micro‑engineered surface treatment that prepares metal and plastic substrates for immediate vulcanization or elastomer bonding. This shift not only eliminates hazardous emissions but also streamlines production lines, as the fully automated system removes multiple manual steps and reduces the potential for human error.

From a sustainability perspective, FACT delivers a dramatic reduction in carbon intensity. Independent life‑cycle assessments compare the new method to a conventional wet‑chemical baseline, showing emissions fall from 100% to just 1.1%. The removal of solvent‑laden binders also cuts material and energy consumption, translating into lower total cost of ownership for end users. Moreover, the process’s multi‑sourced component strategy mitigates supply‑chain risks associated with single‑source solvent suppliers, enhancing resilience for manufacturers across sectors.

The market implications are far‑reaching. With proven resistance to oils, water, hydrogen and AdBlue, FACT enables reliable bonding in harsh automotive environments, while its performance at –40 °C opens doors for aerospace and marine applications. Its compatibility with battery housings makes it attractive for e‑bike and broader energy‑storage systems, aligning with the electrification wave. As OEMs seek greener, cost‑effective solutions, FACT positions Freudenberg as a key enabler of next‑generation, sustainable product designs.