If you look around your workplace, I’m certain that most things you see have been assembled in one way or another—from the telephone and computer to the very chair you spend most of the day sitting in. This month, people from all sectors of the assembly industry will gather at The Assembly Show, scheduled for October 24-26 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. Now in its fifth year, the event will offer three days of educational sessions, hundreds of exhibiting companies, thousands of industry professionals, a dynamic keynote speaker, and two networking receptions.
Adhesive selectors, whether published guides or human, typically begin with determining which adhesive product or products will adhere to the substrate. That approach is necessary for repair applications, and may even be necessary for fixing a production issue on-the-fly. Engineers working in assembly need to consider the functionality of the device first. Adjusting substrate materials, processes, or joint designs may also be considered, but not automatically required. Next, testing to verify performance is necessary—and strongly recommended.
Acrylic adhesives offer the advantages of increased cost efficiencies, better aesthetics and improved impact resistance compared to other methods for the assembly of complex structures. Recently, new acrylic technology has been developed that offers superior lap-shear strength, high elongation and high bake resistance, as well as excellent failure mode across difficult-to-bond metal substrates. These “next-generation” acrylic adhesives are ideal for meeting the rigorous demands in various manufacturing and fabricating segments, including commercial vehicles, wind and energy equipment, and industrial equipment.
Comprehensive initiatives designed to preserve and improve the environment are included in virtually all manufacturers’ corporate communications. According to the Sheldon Group, 25% of major brand owners have implemented scorecards to rate suppliers and products on environmental impact, and 30-40% more are being developed.
Strong growth in construction activity will underpin advances, driven by increased urbanization and infrastructure improvements in developing countries.
April 1, 2016
Global demand for adhesives and sealants is forecast to rise 4.5% per year through 2019 to 20.2 million metric tons, valued at $64 billion. Strong growth in construction activity will underpin advances, driven by increased urbanization and infrastructure improvements in developing countries, combined with rebounding construction spending in Western Europe and the U.S.
In my 30 years as a senior materials engineering manager with Navistar International, a truck and engine OEM, conventional automotive and truck body manufacturing plants predominantly used 1K epoxy structural adhesives due to their superior bonding performance and manufacturing-friendly properties.