Water-Based Rubber Release Agent for Windscreen Assembly

An automotive manufacturer was rejecting vehicles because the oil-based lubricant used to fit windscreen gaskets left oily spots on the body before painting. Micron developed a water-based rubber release agent that lubricates the gasket without leaving that residue.

The manufacturing challenge

Rubber gaskets had to be fitted around the windscreen before it was mounted on the vehicle body. Oil-based lubrication made the gasket slippery enough to fit, but it also left oily spots and stains on the body. Those residues interfered with painting, which led to paint defects and rejected units.

The process had two conflicting needs:

• Easy gasket application: enough lubrication for the gasket to wrap smoothly around the windscreen.
• A clean surface for painting: no oily residue on the vehicle body, because it affects paint adhesion and finish.

Our R&D approach

We developed a water-based rubber release agent for this application, designed to meet both needs at once:

• Effective lubrication for easier gasket fitting.
• No oily spots or stains on the surrounding vehicle body.
• Compatibility with the painting process that follows.

The outcome

The water-based product allowed smooth gasket fitting without oily residue on the vehicle body. This helped stop lubricant contamination carrying over into the paint stage, an important cause of paint failures and rejected units.

What this project shows

A small assembly-stage issue can cause a costly problem further down the line. We start from the manufacturing process, find the root cause and develop the formulation around the real application.