Five hundred engineers and technicians returned to their childhoods last month when a traditional plastic construction kit landed on their desks. Sent out by the Industrial Adhesives and Tapes division of 3M, the diversified technology company, the models of the famous Gnat jet trainer, as used by the Red Arrows, were part of a campaign to introduce new users to the ease of using RITE-LOK high-strength adhesives and sealants.

 

“Many of today’s engineers were introduced to manufacturing through evenings and weekends spent gluing and finishing plastic kits,” says 3M Marketing executive Stefan Cubitt. “Re-living this experience using RITE-LOK is a great way to demonstrate the benefits of a modern, high-technology adhesive.”

To provide everything needed for an enjoyably nostalgic lunch hour, the injection-molded polystyrene kits were supplied with 3M branded stickers and a tube of RITE-LOK cyanoacylate fluid. The adhesive was chosen because it cures quickly, simplifying and speeding up assembly, and is also largely odorless.

“Another benefit is that in most applications, RITE-LOK delivers class-leading performance but can be around ten per cent cheaper than the leading competitor,” says Cubitt. “Our specialists can also help find process improvements that will release further savings.”

RITE-LOK can bond a variety of materials, including metal, plastic, wood, ceramics and rubber. The range also includes anaerobic adhesives such as threadlockers, retainers and gasketmakers, along with UV-curing adhesives, which provide an invisible bond with instant cure. The RITE-LOK Anaerobic Pipe Sealant PS77 has recently been approved by the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme for use in sealing pipe joints for water carrying systems, having passed rigorous tests to confirm its suitability for contact with potable water. The quality of all RITE-LOK products is backed by the 3M name and a $1.4 billion annual research budget that ensures 3M technologies offer the best combination of price and performance.

3M is a $24.5 billion diversified technology company, creating innovative products that help make the world smarter, faster, healthier and safer. Well known 3M brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate and Scotch-Brite.

3M has pioneered innovation since 1902 and, today, invests more than $1.5 billion a year in R&D. It has applied its expertise in RFID technology to deliver biometric passports; it is using its understanding of the healthcare industry to provide hospitals with infection prevention and detection solutions; and its digital signage offerings are revolutionizing the way businesses communicate with their customers, their employees and the general public.

For more information, contact 3M Centre, Cain Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8HT; phone 08705 360036; or visit www.3M.co.uk/adhesives.