Multi-material designs are becoming increasingly common for industrial assemblies, with the growing incorporation of materials like integrated glass, structural composites, or scratch-resistant surfaces. Design engineers have gravitated toward these kinds of assemblies because of the potential benefits, including cost efficiency, weight reduction, performance improvement, and increased durability.

The challenge is that these kinds of designs often cannot be manufactured the same way and may require different methods of assembly. A “multi-material” design indicates that there will be a greater number of bond points where two materials must be joined, and traditional mechanical or thermal fastening techniques often cannot provide ideal performance. As such, many modern assemblies are evolving and must be manufactured using the technology of adhesive bonding.