Loxeal-17

End product: High-Speed rail

Customer Profile

The customer is a leading manufacturer specializing in the production of sleeper berths, ladders, and interior partitions for the high-speed trains. The customer plays a crucial role in enhancing passenger comfort and optimizing space utilization through innovative and durable design solutions tailored for modern rail transport.

Application Details

The sleeper birth design incorporates aluminium ladders with EPDM beads on the edges for safety and comfort. The aluminium-EPDM joint must withstand continuous abrasion, vibrations, shocks, and dynamic loads. Prior to approaching the Elixir-India, the design incorporated a channel in the aluminium for rolling the EPDM bead along the edges by pressure.

Customer Challenges

The existing practice of fixing the EPDM rubber beads directly on the aluminium ladder corners without using any adhesive caused many difficulties because the beading would come off easily, tear apart, and even caused safety risk for users due to slippage.

  • Improper Fitment:
    Without proper bonding, the rubber beading did not stay secure in place, especially around corners causing poor assembly and uneven fitment.

  • Loosing in the field:
    In trains, ladders face vibrations and abrasion. While climbing or handling, the rubber beading often came off, making the ladder slippery.

  • Poor Aesthetic and Brand Image:
    Detached or partially removed beading created poor visual impression, undermining the product’s quality perception and potentially damaging the company’s reputation.

  • Expensive Replacement:
    Frequent loosening of rubber beads led to rejections and onsite visits necessitating costly field replacements.

  • Safety Hazards and Risk of Injury:
    Improper or missing beading left sharp aluminium corners exposed, which posed a serious injury risk to users—especially while climbing the ladder—making it a major safety concern.

Elixir Solution

An Application Engineer from Elixir-India visited the customer site to conduct a detailed assessment of the application, operating conditions, and performance requirements. Based on the evaluation, Loxeal IS17 Instant Bonding Cyanoacrylate Adhesive was identified as the most suitable solution for joining EPDM and aluminium.

Loxeal IS17 is a high-strength cyanoacrylate adhesive engineered for demanding applications involving metals. It offers rapid curing and strong adhesion even under challenging conditions such as vibration, shock, and dynamic loads.

loxeal_17 application image

Product Testing and Validation

A detailed application demonstration was conducted at the customer site, followed by rigorous testing to assess the adhesive’s strength under dynamic load conditions. The evaluation also included long-term compatibility testing under actual railway operating conditions.

To simulate real-world performance, bonded assemblies of EPDM rubber to aluminium were retained at the customer’s facility and monitored weekly for any signs of degradation or failure. The results consistently demonstrated excellent bonding stability over time.

Based on the outstanding test results, Loxeal IS17 was fully validated and approved for use in this critical railway ladder assembly application.

Conclusion

The use of Loxeal IS-17 successfully resolved the bonding issues between EPDM and aluminium in high-speed rail applications. It provided a strong, reliable bond that improved safety, durability, and aesthetics, while reducing field failures and maintenance costs. This solution reinforced the customer’s product quality and brand image, proving the effectiveness of Elixir-India’s tailored adhesive approach.

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