Over the years, the American company 3M has become an international leader in the field of industrial production. The company has an abundance of products and innovative solutions for industry and everyday life.
3M is the only company in the world that offers all types of adhesive products
When it comes to bonding, most people’s first thought is glue. However, it turns out that many of 3M’s double-sided tapes are tailored specifically for bounding and strong connections. Using them is much cleaner and even more profitable. Other times, you can replace bolts and nuts with the unique 3M Dual Lock for repeated assembly and disassembly.
How to assembly
The availability of many different adhesive products leads to the question “how to assembly…” For this reason, 3M has created the ASPEC system to help you find the most suitable product for your purposes. A customer consultation system starts with a few key questions. From their first letters comes the abbreviation ASPEC:
- Assembly – Type of assembly
- Substrate – the materials that are being bonded
- Process – the current assembly and manufacturing process
- End-Use – The usage of the finished product
- Cost – Price
What type of assembly is required? (A)sembly
Here it is important to specify when gluing the selected materials, what kind of bond is needed. Should the bonding be flexible or high strength? Many bonding applications are represented by one of the following six common bonding types:
- Panel to frame
- Small joint assembly
- Large surface lamination
- Mounting and Trim Attachment
- Gasket Attachment • Sealing
Clarifying the end goals and desired type of installation will help narrow down the selection of suitable tapes and adhesives.
The second question from the user advisory system is:
What are the materials that are being bonded together? (S)ubstrate
One of the advantages of bonding tapes and adhesives is the ability to bond to a wide range of substrates. Different materials have different characteristics that affect the adhesive’s or tape’s ability to stick. Surface energy, texture, roughness and cleanliness are conditions that can influence the choice of adhesive or tape. Knowing that glue and tape can bond different materials can help you realize more ideas, in less time and with less capital investment.
What is the current assembly and manufacturing process? (P)rocess
Clarifying the method and idea of assembling a project narrows down the choices for tape or glue. The right choice can lead to improvements in the production process, reduction of technological bonding time and labor costs. Adhesives and tapes can be applied manually or automated by a machine. These solutions prove to be more cost-effective than welding and other assembly processes. In general, tapes can provide quick bonding and instant strength in operation.
Before you are offered a product, you will need to answer the following questions:
- Does the solution need to fit into the current process?
- What are the various process steps and how quickly will the assembly be moved to each step?
- At any time, might the assembly bond need to be repositioned? If so, why and when?
- Are there any environmental, regulatory or workplace safety restrictions?
How and where is the final product used (E)nd-Use
It is important to consider whether it will be exposed to adverse weather conditions, UV rays, moisture, chemicals, high or very low temperatures. There are tapes and adhesives that can withstand these conditions. Some of the advantages of adhesives and tapes are the ability to distribute stress evenly, bond and seal simultaneously, absorb energy, and isolate metals to prevent rust.
Price (C)ost
When the total material and manufacturing costs of an installation are considered, often the advantages of adhesives and tapes outweigh the final bills. A quality installation can be done with 3M adhesive tapes and adhesives, due to their high quality and strength – without the need for drilling, welding and similar complicated and slow processes. In terms of production costs, savings are often made compared to welding and other types of fastening by reducing the number of steps in the process. For example, the need to grind welds, rework contaminated surfaces or eliminate the need to seal each fastener.
In addition to the financial costs of applying tapes and adhesives being often lower, they also require minimal training. Of course, price is also important. Generally, liquid adhesives are less expensive than tapes, but there may be compromises in fixation or curing that you should be aware of before use. The chemicals and performance level of the adhesive or tape will also affect the cost of this material. In general, the more extreme conditions a tape or adhesive can be used in, the higher the cost. But it is naturally tied to high quality, which will satisfy all your requirements.
3M adhesive products are more cost-effective and shorten work time many times over
Knowing the answers to the above questions for the purposes of your installation, through the 3M ASPEC system you will receive suggestions for the appropriate adhesive or tape. You’ll save time and resources while creating a strong and sustainable end product.
