Benefits of Adhesive Bonding

The science and technology of adhesives has advanced greatly in the past few decades and continues to advance every day. While there are several ways to design and manufacture products, 3M adhesives and tapes offer unique advantages compared to welding and mechanical fastening.

  • Image of coffeemaker with bonding plastic parts.

    Adhesives bond dissimilar and hard to bond materials

    Adhesives and tapes provide a barrier to reduce or prevent bimetallic corrosion that often occurs between different types of metal.

    Adhesives can bond hard to bond materials such as low surface energy plastics, oily metal and silicone rubber.

  • Image of deconstructed wristwatch.

    Adhesives bond and seal simultaneously

    Using adhesives to bond two surfaces helps seal out water, moisture, dirt and other environmental contaminants. Because the seal has adhesive properties, there is no need for a separate mechanical fastener.

  • Image of failing mechanical fastened overlap shear joint.

    Adhesives reduce stress concentration at screw and rivet points

    Mechanical fastening requires drilling holes, and attachment at each hole concentrates stress at that point. Because adhesives and tapes bond over an area rather than points, they disperse the load over the entire bond area.

  • Incorporating adhesives into manufacturing can improve efficiency. Image of manufacturing floor.

    Adhesives can impact production efficiency

    Incorporating adhesives and tapes into the manufacturing process can improve efficiency by eliminating process steps, failure rates, and time of assembly. Adhesives and tapes can increase speed, reduce cost, reduce labor hours and streamline operations.

  • Image comparison of stiffener joint with welds, rivets and adhesives..

    Adhesives improve appearance

    Adhesives provide virtually invisible fastening to keep surfaces smooth and clean with no visible screws, rivet heads or protruding nuts and bolts. Adhesives also save the time and cost of refinishing welding burn marks.

  • Graphic of overlap shear joint vibrating.

    Adhesives and tapes can reduce vibration, fatigue and noise

    Because adhesives and tapes are viscoelastic, they are energy absorptive and improve the impact, vibration and fatigue performance of your design.