Bonding systems: Safety & success in machine building applications

Bonding systems enable machine and equipment manufacturers to incorporate new materials into their designs, combining the best properties of each, to create a new generation of class-leading machines. Structural adhesives do not have to alter material properties, nor do they create residual stresses, leading to more durable, fatigue-resistant joints. In addition, bonding processes consume less energy, the equipment used is less costly and fewer safety precautions are required in the factory. Lightweight materials (including plastics and composites) can be incorporated and joined with other materials.

Anaerobic liquid gaskets can be used to seal against the ingress of fluids and reinforce flanged joints against any local shear stresses, preventing micro-movement. As transversal forces are prevented, load transfer capability is enhanced without any design modifications and without the need for surface finishing. These materials prevent fretting corrosion between mating flanges, thus guaranteeing long-term reliability.

Industrial machine builders need to build faster equipment without compromising reliability and productivity and must safeguard all mechanical components.

LOCTITE® anaerobic threadlockers are well known by cost-conscious, high quality machinery manufacturers. They are efficient at ensuring bolt clamping force to avoid vibration which is not only a source of bolt loosening, it also causes issues such as temperature change, pressure load and part surface settling.

Cylindrical joints can also be retained using anaerobics. Stress distribution is more even, preventing typical fatigue-related failures expected during roller operation, for example. Compared with welding, the metal properties are not modified by high temperatures and no residual stresses are generated. Transportation rollers (conveyors, converting equipment etc) can be manufactured using this cheaper and more sustainable system.

Another adhesive technology in the LOCTITE® range is cyanoacrylates, or superglues. These are used to bond materials such as plastics and rubbers in door seals and other parts. Cyanoacrylates are unrivalled in terms of performance and manufacturing speed with a temperature resistance of up to 120ºC and a fixture speed of just a few seconds in most working conditions.

Bonding systems such as LOCTITE® anaerobics and cyanoacrylates from Henkel have a huge role to play in making life easier for machine builders – the benefits are high and the costs are low.

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