How much time do you think you spend in a day looking at a screen, be it a cell phone, tablet, computer screen or television? I know I’m sometimes guilty of checking my email on my phone one last time before bed—long after I’ve asked my kids to turn off and put away their devices. Research has shown that people spend an average of 8 hrs, 41 min on media devices, compared to 8 hrs, 21 min sleeping a day—a pretty remarkable statistic.

Manufacturers of these devices are driving innovation in adhesives and sealants. As screens get larger and move closer to the edges of the device face, for example, the adhesive used to adhere the screen to the phone body has to be laid down in a thinner, more precise line. This affects aspects of the adhesive itself, such as viscosity, along with the type of application equipment used. Read this article to learn more about how adhesives are being used in electronics.

The gluing of electronic components, the coating of foils and the printing of labels are all very different and demanding applications—but they all require innovative production processes to maintain their appeal, durability, and scratch resistance. Here, a case study examines how Great Britain-based Smith & McLaurin, a leading manufacturer and global supplier of self-adhesive labels, tags, and tickets, was able to speed up and improve its production of labels by retrofitting a Heraeus Noblelight infrared system.

Innovation often requires partnerships. Covestro and PPG have been working together in the field of coatings development for many years. The companies came together most recently on an automotive refinish coating with bio-based hardener, which was used on a solar-powered car at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. See this article for details.

How will your company innovate in 2018? Send me an email at mcphersont@bnpmedia.com.  ASI

Teresa McPherson is Editor of ASI magazine. If you wish to send a letter to the editor, please email mcphersont@bnpmedia.com. Letters must include the sender’s address, phone number and email address, when possible. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.

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