Spring, Fasteners & Adhesives
How can the use of adhesives in the manufacturing process impact sustainability? By Jean-François Chartrel, Bostik Engineering Adhesives Global Head of PD & TCS Sustainability is a big word, and a key driver for every manufacturing business. But sustainability means different things to different people. To some it means reducing the use of potentially harmful chemicals in the manufacturing process; to others, it means reducing the manufacturing time, and improving efficiency; to another group it may mean reducing the number of parts, especially plastic, and improving their carbon footprint. So how does the choice of adhesive affect sustainability at potentially every level?
Adhesive manufacturing One of the key factors is in how the adhesive itself is manufactured. ‘Traditional’ methods of manufacturing face a number of challenges. Typically, they consume large amounts of energy
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Manufacturing & Production Engineering Magazine
and generate high levels of waste. Controlling potentially harmful emissions is similarly an issue. New manufacturing processes have been developed that overcome these issues and more. Latest techniques, including those used in the manufacture of or MECA (Methoxyethyl Cyanoacrylate) -based Cyanoacrylate (CA) adhesives, for example, have no such issues. The process consumes considerably less energy than conventional manufacturing techniques while delivering a higher yield (estimated at between 95% - 98% on average) and creating less waste. It is also a much ‘cleaner’ process all round, allowing for far greater control of emissions.
Faster curing times The performance of the adhesive is also important. As evidenced with Bostik’s Born2Bond™ range of high-performing
engineering adhesives, a product with a faster curing time (but without sacrificing performance) enables the manufacturing process to become more efficient. When it comes to CA adhesives specifically, new patented ‘Light Cure’ technology is certainly helping in this regard. A conventional UV technology requires at least one transparent surface to cure, which means it is not effective on non-transparent materials, limiting its application. New ‘dual cure’ technology, however, is different; it has two curing mechanisms, combining light (UV) and contact (humidity). This new generation of CA dual cure adhesives are designed for bonding applications that require fast fixturing, coating, or surface cure. The UV sensitivity allows rapid bonding through transparent parts, and quick curing of light-exposed bulk or surface coated areas. The instant bonding capability of