Why adhesives are gaining more popularity
There are applications that require Industrial adhesive instead of welding and mechanical fasteners. Industrial adhesive is the choice when there is need for stress reduction on the part, ability to bond dissimilar substrates and when there is less skilled labor. Adhesives reduce stress on parts because they spread along the length of the bond covering a wide area while welding and fasteners tend to localize stress in the area where they are located. When welding two metallic substrates together the corrosion control coatings are often damaged unlike adhesives that take advantage of the corrosion control coating by using it as a bonding substrate. The coating will actually allow the adhesive to develop a stronger bond. This is one of the reasons why the auto industry has shifted spot welding to adhesives.
Industrial adhesive in the auto industry
Today’s cars contain about 18kg of adhesives and crash tests have demonstrated that adhesive-bonded cars do better than those that have been welded. Adhesives do not affect the substrates that are used in assembly while welding and mechanical fasteners affect the rigidity of assembly materials. In the event of a crash, the adhesive will act as a buffer to provide utmost protection for the driver and passengers. Enhanced safety is not the only advantage provided by Industrial adhesive, it is the ideal solution to bond a combination of materials that include sheet metal, glass, rubber and plastics. It would be quite impossible to bond the windscreen of a car using welding or mechanical fasteners but adhesives ensure that it is perfectly in place. Adhesives ensure perfect bonds that can withstand extreme weather conditions whether it is rain, snow, hailstorm, frost or the blistering heat of summer.
Misconceptions about Industrial adhesive
Welding has been used successfully for many years by manufacturers and it is one of the reasons why most of them are reluctant to try adhesives. There is a common misconception that adhesives will not last as long as welds or bolts and screws because they are not that strong. There is a concern that adhesive bonding may result to failure and it may eventually become a safety hazard. The way that adhesives work to provide strong bonds between substrates is not visible whereas welding and fastening can be seen when it takes place. Since the adhesive bond is not visible, it is assumed not to last as long as something that is actually visible. In fact, adhesives provide exceptional reliability that improves a component’s performance because stress points are reduced. The technology of adhesives is constantly evolving and it makes sense to check the new developments to improve your operations.