DELO Introduces Next-Generation Light-Activatable Adhesives for High-Volume LiDAR Production

DELO, a leading manufacturer of high-tech adhesives, has introduced a new generation of light-activatable adhesives specifically developed for high-volume LiDAR system production. The breakthrough technology enables up to five times higher production speeds for critical mirror and cover window bonding applications, addressing a bottleneck in the rapidly growing automotive and industrial robotics sectors.

The advanced DELO PHOTOBOND LA formulations solve the fundamental challenge facing manufacturers as the LiDAR market has quadrupled from 700,000 to over 3 million units annually in just three years. Traditional silicones as well as established light-activatable solutions need up to one hour to reach handling strength—timeframes incompatible with automotive volume production demands.

The new adhesive generation achieves handling strength in minutes instead of one hour, enabling up to five times higher production throughput. After one hour, 1.1 MPa compared to 0.2 MPa for previous solutions are possible, while maintaining the flexibility essential for stress-sensitive optical applications. The technology builds on proven silane-modified polymer chemistry with light activation at 400 nm or 460 nm.

Despite accelerated strength development, the Young's modulus remains consistently low across the automotive operating temperature range from -40°C to +125°C, preventing stress in precision optical components. For closed optical systems, outgassing performance has been improved with condensable outgassing reduced to below 0.1%.

“This represents a significant advancement in our light-activatable technology platform,” explains Dr. Yanik Pfaff, Product Manager Automotive LiDAR Applications at DELO. “We've enhanced our proven formulations to deliver the speed required by manufacturers in the automotive supply chain, without compromising the optical precision and reliability that established our market position.”

Proven reliability across applications

DELO’s comprehensive reliability testing confirms long-term durability. For aluminum/glass mirror bonding combinations, the new generation achieves consistent 5 MPa strength retention, while aluminum/polycarbonate cover window bonds show 4 MPa performance after 500 hours of testing under 85°C/85% relative humidity and thermal shock conditions.

The new DELO PHOTOBOND LA formulations are available for evaluation. Comprehensive technical information is available in the current whitepaper. DELO experts will present the technology at the Enmore Automotive Conference (May 28-29, 2026, Shanghai Automobile Exhibition Center, booth S338).