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VHB ™ Tapes Specialty Vehicle Durability Study - Executive Summary What do contractors, horse owners and racing enthusiasts have in common? They all value a well-constructed, good- looking trailer, whether it’s a cargo utility trailer or a horse trailer. Research shows these trailer buyers, as a whole, consider durability, leak-resistance and aesthetics to be some of the most important features they look for in a trailer. “It needs to be very durable. We’re using the trailers to haul tools and equipment. If it’s not durable enough, it wears through pretty quickly,” said Jennifer Reed of Pacific Northern Industrial, a mechanical contracting company. “Also, our trailers can’t leak. We have very expensive equipment that we need to keep in top condition.” According to Jeff Wheeler of Wheeler Electric, an electrical contracting company, one of his top priorities when selecting a new trailer is the trailer’s appearance. “We need something that looks good to represent the image of our company.” Knowing that durability and aesthetics are top priorities for trailer buyers, 3M commissioned an independent, scientific study to determine how well smooth-sided trailers made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape fair against the traditional, mechanically-fastened trailers. 3M sent two trailers – one made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape and the other assembled with rivets - to the Bosch Auto- motive Proving Grounds in South Bend, Indiana. There, an independent test team put the trailers through road tests that simulated hauling for 100,000 miles over various road conditions. Additionally, the researchers conducted a series of heat and water tests on the trailers. The results were clear. After 100,000 simulated miles, the smooth-sided trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape held tight and showed no delamination problems or gaps. In contrast, 31% of the screws came loose on the mechanically-fastened trailer after just the first 36,000 miles of the test. Once the mileage tests were completed, researchers subjected the trailers to leakage testing by spraying the seams on both trailers with a pressure washer. On the mechanically-fastened unit, water leaked into the trailer when the sides were sprayed at garden hose pressure (less than 75 PSI.) In sharp contrast, the trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape showed no signs of leaking, even when the water pressure was increased to a powerful 3200 PSI. The trailers were also put through a series of thermal heat tests to help simulate a black trailer sitting in the sun in a hot region. After dozens of rounds of heating the trailers up to 180°F and cooling the trailers down to room temperature, it was easy to see the difference. The heat caused the side panels of the trailers to expand, leaving the mechanically-fastened trailer with a distorted, quilted, “pillow” look, while the trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape kept its smooth appearance. While the study results are revealing, some smooth-sided trailer owners say they’ve known the value of smooth- sided trailers firsthand for years. “The smooth-sided trailers are definitely better for putting on signage. We have some trailers that have rivets and some of those graphics are weathered. We don’t have that problem with the smooth-sided trailers,” said Dennis Tiernan, president of Nikkel and Associates, an electrical contracting company. For further information about 3M ™ VHB ™ Tapes, call 877-366-2746 or visit: www .3M.com/specialtyvehicle. In Thermal Testing: Mechanically fastened trailers were left with a distorted, quilted, "pillow" look, while the trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape kept its smooth appearance. Unconstrained Construction with 3M™ VHB™ Tape Traditional Mechanically Fastened 60-4401-7414-6

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VHB™ Tapes

Specialty Vehicle

Durability Study -Executive Summary

What do contractors, horse owners and racing enthusiasts have in common? They all value a well-constructed, good- looking trailer, whether it’s a cargo utility trailer or a horse trailer. Research shows these trailer buyers, as a whole, consider durability, leak-resistance and aesthetics to be some of the most important features they look for in a trailer.

“It needs to be very durable. We’re using the trailers to haul tools and equipment. If it’s not durable enough, it wears through pretty quickly,” said Jennifer Reed of Pacific Northern Industrial, a mechanical contracting company. “Also, our trailers can’t leak. We have very expensive equipment that we need to keep in top condition.”

According to Jeff Wheeler of Wheeler Electric, an electrical contracting company, one of his top priorities when selecting a new trailer is the trailer’s appearance. “We need something that looks good to represent the image of our company.”

Knowing that durability and aesthetics are top priorities for trailer buyers, 3M commissioned an independent, scientific study to determine how well smooth-sided trailers made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape fair against the traditional, mechanically-fastened trailers.

3M sent two trailers – one made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape and the other assembled with rivets - to the Bosch Auto-motive Proving Grounds in South Bend, Indiana. There, an independent test team put the trailers through road tests that simulated hauling for 100,000 miles over various road conditions. Additionally, the researchers conducted a series of heat and water tests on the trailers.

The results were clear. After 100,000 simulated miles, the smooth-sided trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape held tight and showed no delamination problems or gaps. In contrast, 31% of the screws came loose on the mechanically-fastened trailer after just the first 36,000 miles of the test.

Once the mileage tests were completed, researchers subjected the trailers to leakage testing by spraying the seams on both trailers with a pressure washer. On the mechanically-fastened unit, water leaked into the trailer

when the sides were sprayed at garden hose pressure (less than 75 PSI.) In sharp contrast, the trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape showed no signs of leaking, even when the water pressure was increased to a powerful 3200 PSI.

The trailers were also put through a series of thermal heat tests to help simulate a black trailer sitting in the sun in a hot region. After dozens of rounds of heating the trailers up to 180°F and cooling the trailers down to room temperature, it was easy to see the difference. The heat caused the side panels of the trailers to expand, leaving the mechanically-fastened trailer with a distorted, quilted, “pillow” look, while the trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape kept its smooth appearance.

While the study results are revealing, some smooth-sided trailer owners say they’ve known the value of smooth-sided trailers firsthand for years.

“The smooth-sided trailers are definitely better for putting on signage. We have some trailers that have rivets and some of those graphics are weathered. We don’t have that problem with the smooth-sided trailers,” said Dennis Tiernan, president of Nikkel and Associates, an electrical contracting company.

For further information about 3M™ VHB™ Tapes,call 877-366-2746 or visit:www.3M.com/specialtyvehicle.

In Thermal Testing:Mechanically fastened trailers were left with a distorted, quilted, "pillow" look, while the trailer made with 3M™ VHB™ Tape kept its smooth appearance.

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