Adhesive Bonding

Adhesive Bonding Versus Welding

 When you consider adhesive bonding versus welding for securing your parts, strict specifications must be met while controlling the total cost. Switching over to a new joining process requires addressing many issues, including safety concerns, excessive down time, structural integrity, and structural degradation, as well as your overall manufacturing process.

Adhesive is the new kid on the block for many metal fabricators. The older adhesives weren’t ideal for bonding metal to metal, but newer adhesive types have proven their worth as a viable adhesive bonding option.

Here’s a comparison of the advantages of traditional welding to adhesive bonding’s newest technology:

Welding Advantages

  • No curing time needed in production process
  • Instantaneous procedure
  • Strong bond even at high temperatures
  • Flexibility with attachment location, including large objects with small welding areas
  • No shelf life or monitoring of storage time necessary

Adhesive Advantages

  • May reduce stress concentration points
  • No distorting or discoloring of thin metals
  • Won’t destroy galvanized coatings or cause corrosion
  • Gives a one-step seal and bond process
  • Joins dissimilar materials
  • Minor joint design changes to accommodate surface contact
  • Assembly of different masses and dimensions
  • Joins irregular shaped surfaces with minimal alteration to part dimensions
  • Gives increased fatigue strength by distributing stress across bonded area
  • Improved finished appearance
  • Training of workforce is less costly
  • Ideal for high-volume applications
  • Little or no post-process cleanup

Making the change from welding to adhesive bonding requires a comprehensive view of your bonding needs. Consider how your overall manufacturing time can be reduced with adhesive bonding by analyzing your processes.

Can you switch over to adhesive bonding with only procedural and part-flow changes? Will a change in joint geometry design pay off? If a change in your joining process improves efficiency and quality, and reduces overall manufacturing time, it’s worth the effort to switch from welding to adhesive bonding.

Your goal of cost savings and production efficiency requires choosing the most effective material for your adhesive bonding needs. Consult with your special processes provider for help with the right adhesive technology. PTI Industries offers high-tech adhesive bonding as part of a one-stop experience for all your special processes.

PTI Continues to Offer UTAS Special Processes for Civil and Military Aerospace Products

Jet EnginePTI Industries continues to offer special processes for critical aerospace components, helping the aerospace industry meet an increased demand while adhering to stringent quality standards. Strict adherence to NADCAP, FAA, and EASA certifications and accreditations ensures your parts performance, reliability, and safety.

United Technologies Aerospace Systems in Windsor Locks has shut down and decommissioned operation of their Plating and Special Process lines as of September 1, 2016.

If you have aerospace parts in need of UTAS special processes, our facility is a one-stop multi-service shop with services available for both military and commercial aircraft.

PTI Industries is approved for 5 special processes offered by UTAS:

  • FPI & Dye Penetrant
  • MPI
  • Solid Film Lubricant
  • Passivation
  • Flushing and Cleaning

See out List of Approvals and type “UTAS” in the search field. For all inquiries on UTAS processes, and for your RFQs, please send to quotes@ptiindustries.com for a prompt reply or quote.

PTI’s commitment to quality includes constantly striving for continuous improvements in meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations on every special processes job order. All of our special process technicians have extensive knowledge and training in parts and equipment to support the manufacturing challenges of the aerospace industry.