Choosing the best quality adhesive for your type of vehicle is not that easy as you think. When you are out and about to shop for some genuine adhesives, there are some factors you should consider. Adhesives come in different chemistries and capabilities, which affect how you choose one.
Choosing the right type of adhesive will reduce the number of products you need to evaluate and increase your chances of success when repairing your vehicle. Before choosing something like this for your motor, you want to consider these factors.
1. Materials to be bonded
Knowing the materials to be bonded or the substrates is an essential factor to consider when choosing adhesives. Some adhesives perform well in the glass, while others are perfect on plastic and metal.
Most materials are made of either plastic or metal. So, when choosing an adhesive, you should ensure it is suitable for the surface. For instance, PTFE will require acid etch to bond, while ABS only requires alcohol cleaning to bond with a surface.
2. Part cleaning
Most of the adhesives will usually require that you prepare the substrates properly, whether it is just for a simple cleaning or more complex operations. When selecting an adhesive to use, plasma treatment, abrasion, and chemical etching are some factors you want to look into.
3. Viscosity
The viscosity of the adhesive is another factor to consider before placing your order. In most cases, you will need low viscosity adhesives for thin bonds applications that require wicking. High viscosity is the best for vertical applications.
4. UV Cure and Thermal Cure
When choosing adhesives for UV cure, you should first find out if the product is made of ingredients that support UV curing. UV cure adhesives usually are one part and tend to cure faster.
Also, you have to expose the adhesive to direct sunlight and ensure at least one of the substrates allows for the transmission of UV. You can cure thermal cure materials with heat or room temperature. The thermal adhesives cure faster under high temperatures, and this may be detrimental to some components.
5. Working life
How much is working life required for the adhesive? This is another factor you should consider most when selecting an adhesive to use. Working life is the time it takes before the material gels and is usually related to the cure time.
For the case of thermal cure materials, it takes longer to cure if the working life is longer. Alternatively, most single-part materials can be fixed quickly, and the working life of the adhesive does not apply that much.
6. Configuration
You should also consider the dimensions of the parts to determine the best adhesive to use. Find out how the parts you want to work on fit on each other before choosing the suitable adhesive to use.
In most cases, thick bond gaps and more significant parts will require a slower cure to reduce shrinkage and strengthen the bond. Most types of adhesives are formulated to work with thin gaps.
Conclusion
Choosing the best adhesive can be one of the most challenging things. However, it can be made easier by applying some of the tips shared in this article. The information presented here helps you eliminate most of the adhesives available in the market so that you only shop for the best.
When shopping for the best quality adhesive, it is essential that you contact experts in the field. Most adhesive suppliers will help you choose the most suitable product for every work. You can also test any adhesive before selecting it for the job.