Various adhesives in the industry.
Today, adhesive bonding technology is regarded as the innovative joining technology of the 21st century, and the companies of the German adhesives industry - also in the international competitive environment - as technology leaders. Adhesive bonding technology makes significant contributions to the development of innovative products and provides the industry with the prerequisites for opening up new, future-oriented markets in all sectors.
In the early 1980s, polymer chemists from the adhesives industry worked together with engineers from the automotive industry for the first time in a publicly funded research project to successfully develop a process for bonding oiled sheet metal in automotive production and introduce it in a process-safe manner.
This successful interdisciplinary interaction between chemistry and engineering initiated further projects, systematic research and development. When an accredited personnel qualification system for adhesive processors and manufacturers was introduced in the early 1990s, all the necessary conditions were in place to put the adhesive industry on the road to success as an innovative system partner. The use of adhesive technologies enables small and medium-sized companies to face their competition by creating innovative products.
What are the different types of adhesives?
Here is a selection of adhesives used in the industry:
- Epoxy adhesives: With their impressive strength and resistance to chemicals and temperatures, epoxy adhesives are ideal for demanding industrial applications. They provide a reliable bond for metal joints and are perfect for construction projects where high strength is required.
- Polyurethane adhesives: Versatile and flexible, polyurethane adhesives are ideal for a wide range of substrates such as metal, plastic, glass and wood. Not only do they provide strong adhesion, but they are also impact resistant and ensure a long-lasting bond.
- Acrylic Adhesives: When you need fast cure time, high strength and weather resistance, acrylic adhesives are the right choice. These adhesives are ideal for use in the automotive and construction industries, where a reliable bond is required under extreme conditions.
- Cyanoacrylate adhesives: For quick repairs and bonding, cyanoacrylate adhesives, also known as instant adhesives, are unbeatable. Their fast cure time and strong adhesion make them ideal for everyday use and small repair jobs.
- Silicone adhesives: Silicone adhesives offer flexibility, temperature resistance and excellent adhesion to a wide range of surfaces. They are the perfect solution when a flexible bond or reliable seal is required.
- Hotmelt adhesives: Hotmelt adhesives, also known as hot melt adhesives, allow you to bond materials together quickly and strongly. These adhesives melt when heated and provide a quick solution for various applications.
The industrial adhesives mentioned above are only a selection from the wide range of available adhesives. Depending on specific requirements, there are also specialized adhesives such as metal adhesives, structural adhesives for aircraft construction or conductive adhesives for the electronics industry. When selecting the right adhesive, it is important to consider the requirements of the specific application.
In order to successfully exploit the advantages of adhesive bonding technology compared to other joining processes, the entire process from product planning to quality assurance and employee qualification must be implemented properly. However, this can only be achieved if research and industry work closely together so that the research results can be rapidly and directly incorporated into the development of innovative products and production processes.
One of the tasks of the Industrieverband Klebstoffe e.V. (Adhesives Industry Association) is to promote this development in order to increase the use of adhesive bonding technology in all areas. As a member of the board of the DECHEMA specialist group "Adhesive Bonding Technology" and the "GAK" (Joint Committee on Adhesive Bonding), the Adhesives Industry Association accompanies the coordination of publicly funded research projects in the field of adhesive bonding technology.
The potential of the adhesives industry has not been exhausted either technologically or in terms of the market. Clear growth opportunities can be seen for the future - be it in the direction of redetachable adhesive bonds or the assumption by adhesives of functions previously performed by other materials.
Eco-Nova has developed various cleaning products without hazardous substances (not subject to labeling) to remove the adhesive residues:
Dyeclean 200, Gluemex, Topclean and Microsolv NX. Please contact the technical consulting team.
