MANUFACTURING / JAPAN SOURCING
Can two industrial adhesives be compared by their strength figures?
Keep the strength result with the bonded materials, surface state, curing conditions and test method. Then ask what evidence is needed for the actual joint.
Start with the two surfaces in the actual part
Imagine selecting an adhesive for a small metal tab bonded to an equipment cover. One supplier sends a strength result on bare metal coupons; another offers data for a different substrate. The larger figure does not yet show which proposal suits the finished, coated parts.
Identify both materials and grades, the surfaces that actually touch the adhesive, the joint drawing and the intended service. Cemedine’s selection guide asks about the bonded materials, purpose, joint design, environment and working conditions.[1] A coating or surface treatment belongs in that description; naming only the metal underneath leaves the bonding surface unclear.
Send the drawing revision or a representative part reference and say what the joint must do. For this enquiry, the question is whether the offered evidence represents the proposed assembly. It is not a request to infer a safe working load from a catalogue number.
Ask which test produced the result
ThreeBond lists tensile-shear and T-peel as distinct test methods and explains that 3TS includes its own standardised tests.[2] Keep the named method and revision, test geometry, units and test environment with each figure. Results from different tests answer different questions.
ThreeBond’s Technical News 102 presents a substrate-by-substrate comparison with cure conditions, a method reference and material-failure notes.[3] That is an example of information to retain beside the number. Ask what failed in the test and whether the report identifies that observation, rather than ranking candidates by the highest reported value.
- 1Joint: identify both substrates and the surface facing the adhesive
- 2Conditioning: retain the product-specific cure and time before the test
- 3Measurement: keep the loading method, result and observed failure together
The overlap and pull arrows illustrate a tensile-shear enquiry only. Geometry is not to scale and no joint dimensions, cure recipe, load limit or approval are specified.
Do not replace the cure record with “sets quickly”
Ask for the actual preparation and curing conditions used for the reported specimen. Cemedine distinguishes working time, setting time and surface-dry behaviour.[1] These descriptions should not be substituted for the conditioning record behind a strength test.
The production team also needs to know whether the proposed product can be applied and cured with the available process. Ask the adhesive supplier to propose suitable conditions for that product and joint. If the trial uses a different surface preparation, bond-line thickness or curing arrangement from the reference data, record the difference for technical review.
| Keep with the offer | Describe the intended part | Ask the supplier to identify |
|---|---|---|
| Materials and surfaces | Describe the intended partBoth grades, coating or finish and joint reference | Ask the supplier to identifyTest substrates, preparation and differences from the part |
| Application and cure | Describe the intended partAvailable application process, joint gap and handling sequence | Ask the supplier to identifyProduct-specific proposal and the specimen’s cure and conditioning record |
| Strength result | Describe the intended partLoad direction and function the joint must meet | Ask the supplier to identifyMethod and revision, geometry, units, test environment and failure observation |
| Service evaluation | Describe the intended partTemperature, exposure and duration relevant to the actual use | Ask the supplier to identifyWhat further joint evaluation and acceptance decision are needed |
Evaluate the joint before carrying the choice into an order
Ask the responsible design or quality team and supplier to agree the representative parts, evaluation conditions and acceptance criteria. An initial strength result and performance after the relevant service exposure are separate questions. Keep the proposed observations and reviewer visible before starting the trial.
After the evaluation, retain the accepted adhesive product, part/drawing reference, surface preparation and agreed process with the order. Ask for review of changes to the coating, adhesive grade, joint or curing process that could affect the evaluated reference.
For a sourcing enquiry, send HAM the bonded-part reference, destination and the gap between the data supplied and the part you need to make. The useful next reply is an offer tied to those surfaces and conditions, with the remaining technical questions made explicit.
Questions to send your supplier
Open supplier questions
Bonded part, drawing revision and joint function: Both material grades, coatings/finishes and actual bonding surfaces: Proposed adhesive manufacturer/product/grade: Please identify the test substrates and surface preparation behind the result. Test method/revision, specimen geometry, units and test environment: Specimen cure and conditioning before measurement: Reported failure observation and scope of the supplied evidence: Available application process, joint gap and handling sequence: Service conditions, proposed part trial, criteria and technical reviewer: Differences from the evaluated assembly and changes needing review:
Sources
- Cemedine — Reading adhesive catalogue performance
Read selection, curing and adhesion sections: substrate/use/joint/conditions, different time measures and test/failure descriptions. No numerical cure schedule or design strength adopted.
- ThreeBond — 3TS testing standards
Read the 3TS definition and listed tensile-shear and T-peel methods. The linked demonstration videos and full test standards were not reviewed.
- ThreeBond Technical News 102 (2023-07-01)
Read PDF page 4, section 3-3/table 3 and its notes: substrate, cure conditions, method and material-failure notation accompany results. No product ranking, temperature, time or strength is recommended here.