There are several advantages structural adhesives offer compared to other fastening methods. Here are a few, courtesy of global company and adhesive experts, Parker LORD.
For one, structural adhesives provide processing convenience and overall assembly cost savings. Additionally, structural adhesives provide the following benefits:
- They are easy to use
- Require minimal surface preparation
- Require no drilling of through holes, tapping operations, and other costs that are built into typical mechanically fastened joints
- They’re highly aesthetic
- No visible fasteners, substrate deformation, etc.
- No refinishing with removal of mechanical fasteners and weld scars
- They’re cost-effective due to reduced material costs, number of parts, labor costs, and process time
- Available in a wide variety of packaging and dispensing options
- Cartridge (convenience) packaging – for manual dispensing
- Bulk packaging (gallons, pails, drums) – for high volume applications that use Meter/Mix/Dispensing (MMD) equipment
Design freedom is another advantage of adhesives. Adhesives allow for easy joining of complicated shapes and can join dissimilar substrates (dissimilar metals or metals to composites or thermoplastics). Assembly adhesives are also multi-functional to allow for:
- Superior structural joint strength with stress distribution along the bonded area
- Simultaneous joint sealing without the need for separate sealing processes or gaskets
- Added insulation
- Vibration and sound dampening
For more information on the advantages of structural adhesives versus other joining methods, including including welding, mechanical fasteners, tapes and sealants, click here.
Filed Under: Fastening + joining