Substrates and Adhesion – Know Your Surface
Adhesives attach to the surfaces of two substrates, unlike a process that fuses substrates into a unified whole such as welding metal or solvent activation of plastics. In selecting a 3M adhesive or tape, surface condition must be considered: roughness, smoothness, porosity, coated, uncoated, cleanliness, flexibility, size of the part, and surface energy of the part.
Knowing When to use Bonding Tapes to Improve Your Product and Manufacturing Process
Some materials are harder to bond than others. But with 3M Bonding Tape technologies, even many materials once defined as "hard-to-bond," such as low surface energy plastics, can be bonded with strength greater than the materials bonded. The list of potential substrates includes glass, wood, steel, concrete, foam, polycarbonate, and just about any other material you can name.
Adhesives Economics
In considering cost, consider more than just the cost per gallon or roll. The true value of a 3M adhesive or tape is determined by applied cost per unit. This includes adhesive coverage and the time and labor to apply it. Coverage is usually expressed in terms of adhesive thickness or weight.
3M™ Adhesive and Tape classifications – you really can’t say "glue" any more
At one time, adhesive and glue were used synonymously. In industry today, however, designers and engineers are using terms like two-part low-odor acrylic, high bond tape, PUR systems, cyanoacrylate, and more. Glue is now considered to be something sticky which is no longer a characteristic of many adhesives.
3M: Proactively "Green" for More than 40 Years
Sustainable manufacturing is high profile news around the world, but for 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division, it's not news at all. "Green" has been a 3M priority starting with the first-ever, water-based, contact adhesive developed by 3M more than 40 years ago. 3M™ Fastbond™ Contact Adhesive 30NF was an innovation then and today is compliant with the most stringent U.S. air quality requirements.
Utilizing the benefits of adhesives through joint design
Converting from mechanical fasteners to adhesives and tapes can offer many benefits. These include flexibility in design, light weighting, increased product strength, prevention of water intrusion, processing ease, increased manufacturing throughput and improved product aesthetics.
Overcoming Surface Protection Challenges
Surface protection for products can be divided into two major categories: short-term and longer term. Short-term surface protection is kept in place during manufacturing and processing but should be removable easily and cleanly upon installation or use. Longer term surface protection remains on the product during usage.
Fundamentals of Adhesion
Selecting the proper adhesives for a nameplate, label or membrane switch application requires consideration of environmental, surface, appearance and other performance requirements. Our purpose here is to cover some of the principles of adhesion.
Meeting Six Challenges of Lightweighting
The design requirement for lightweighting of products is generally driven by at least one of the following mandates: 1) reduce product energy consumption; 2) decrease manufacturing costs; or 3) reduce size to improve portability, aesthetics and/or user convenience. However, when implementing lightweighting, design engineers frequently encounter several of the following six challenges.
Easier Bonding for the Tough Combinations
Laurel and Hardy. Lewis and Clark. Some combinations just seem to go together. Aluminum panels and steel tube framing. Oak veneer and particleboard. Flexible foam and an ABS part. To readily bond these and many other combinations of high surface energy or porous materials, you have a wide selection of 3M liquid, paste, hot melt, and pressure sensitive adhesives.
Acoustic Management
The industrial workplace has become more sensitive to noise in machinery and other products. Consumer expectations are that products are quieter, have less vibration and do not interfere with conversation or music.
