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3M STRUCTURAL ADHESIVES - BENEFITS |
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One of the primary benefits of adhesive is that it holds something together resisting the stress trying to pull it apart. Tensile stress is exerted equally over the entire joint straight and away from the
adhesive bond.
Shear stress is across the adhesive bond.
The bonded materials are being forced to
slide over each other.
Cleavage stress is concentrated at one edge
and exerts a prying force on the bond.
Peel stress is concentrated along a thin line
at the bond's edge. One surface is flexible.
Most applications combine stresses.
The following six points elaborate on the
advantages of using adhesives for stress
resistance and more.
1. Uniform distribution of stress
over the entire bonded area can
eliminate stress concentration
caused by rivets, spot welds, and
similar mechanical fastening.
Lighter, thinner materials can
often be used without sacrificing
strength.
2. Bonding laminates of dissimilar
materials can produce combinations
superior in strength and performance
to either adherent alone. Adhesive
flexibility compensates for differences
in coefficients of expansion.
3. Elastomeric flexibility improves
resistance to vibration fatigue.
4. Holes are eliminated maintaining the
integrity of the bonded material. This
can reduce finishing and increase
design flexibility.
5. Continuous contact between mating
surfaces can effectively bond and
seal against many environmental
conditions.
6. Costs can be lowered by reducing
material requirements and weight;
eliminating drilling, welding,
screwing, and similar operations. |
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Choice of 3M structural or
non-structural formulations.
To meet requirements for stress resistance,
specific substrates, application efficiency
and cost, 3M offers a wide range of easyto-
use adhesives in handy sizes with
practical dispensing systems.
Structural adhesives (pages 5 to 15) bond
the load-bearing parts of a product. Usually
these are metal, but wood, glass and rigid
plastics can also be structurally bonded.
Non-structural adhesives (pages 16 to 33)
bond materials for insulation, cushioning
and paneling, rubber, plastic, fabric, leather,
wood, cardboard, and other substrates used
in non load-bearing applications.
3M high-strength structural adhesives are
fundamentally load-bearing formulations.
Bond strength is often as strong as, or
stronger than the materials joined. These
adhesives are generally cross-linked or
thermosetting, and include epoxies,
phenolics, urethanes, acrylics, and
cyanoacrylates.
The aircraft industry is one of the pioneers
in use of structural adhesives. And structural
adhesives still play an integral role in the
aerospace industry. Many other industries
have also been taking advantage of 3M's
advanced formulations and innovative
dispensing.
For example, structural adhesives are
used in bushing assembly in appliances,
headlight assembly in cars, fiberglass decks
in boats, relays and controls in electronic
equipment, lawn sprinklers, window
frames, office partitions, pump casting
components, golf clubs, home furniture,
and surgical instruments.
The 3M structural adhesives product line
includes the following:
• 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Structural Adhesives
• 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Electronic Grade
Epoxy Adhesives
• 3M™ Scotch-Weld™ Film Adhesives
• 3M™ Pronto™ Instant Adhesives
• 3M™ Jet-Weld™ Thermoset
Adhesive System.
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