PTI Industries bonded the Rulon to the inner diameter of this aluminum bearing then machined the Rulon to dimension as well as blended the ends for a nice radius lead in.

In our last post we defined adhesive bonding, discussed its advantages, how it’s evolved, and four things you should know about PTI Industries’ adhesive bonding service. In addition, there are other details you need to know prior to choosing adhesive bonding.

What types of materials can be bonded?

The types of materials you can bond are as varied as the production processes used. Adhesive bonding can be used to bond virtually any combination of materials with each other, provided you know how to prep the materials, eliminating the need for traditional joining methods.

Why choose adhesive bonding over traditional joining methods?

Adhesive bonding is the ideal way to join components or materials that don’t always work well with traditional bonding methods, such as welds, rivets, and screws.

Adhesive bonding’s advanced adhesive system gives you significantly stronger joints that are cleaner, lighter, and exhibit greater uniformity in the distribution of stress factors. Adhesive bonding eliminates the need for the high heat input and resulting damage often associated with thermal joining methods.

10 Things to Look for in an Adhesive Bonding Company

1. Does the company keep adhesives in stock? Are they certified and controlled?
2. If the adhesive you need is not in stock, what is the lead time for ordering?
3. What is the shelf life of the adhesive?
4. Is the company certified to perform the bonding process you need, and can they provide you with the written approval?
5. Do they make their own fixtures/tooling, or will you need to provide this?
6. What kind of quality system is in place?
7. What is the optimal lot size for your part to get the optimal production rate?
8. Do they issue a certificate of conformance once the job is completed?
9. Do they need a sample or scrap part to develop the process or bond fixtures/tooling?
10. Are there any additional testing fees that you will incur, such as for adhesive testing?

Additional Tips

• Be sure to provide them with a print and all requirements that you will need and get a quote ahead of time…many times the bonding operation cost and lead time is underestimated.
• What are the details needed for the bonding project? For example if you need a Teflon strip bonded on a metal substrate, many times the bond house will supply the Teflon. Determine in advance if you need to provide materials or if the bond house will supply them.

Before you choose adhesive bonding, you’ll want to understand its benefits, know the materials you can expect to bond and make sure the bonding house can answer the questions above satisfactorily.