Magna Door Systems/Uniport (Hambach, France) is a Tier 1 automotive supplier that manufactures hatchback assemblies for DaimlerChrysler's MCC Smart Car. As is the case with many automotive models, the Smart Car incorporates adhesives in a number of assemblies to reduce weight and cost. Adhesives also serve to effectively join dissimilar materials like glass, plastics and metals. In the case of the rear hatch, a number of thermoplastic subassemblies are glued directly to a glass pane, including a closure handle and gas-pressure dampers.
To streamline the assembly process and ensure consistency, Magna Door Systems employs robots from Reis Robotics (Obernburg, Germany) as well as adhesives from Dow Automotive Ltd. (Schwalbach, Germany, formerly Gurit-Essex GmbH).