matchmaker make me a match- is your adhesive manufacturer asking the right questions?

(2009-07-05) James Brenner

Understanding the customer’s required performance properties in an assembly application is crucial for suggesting the right adhesive

Master Bond, a worldwide adhesive manufacturer, announces the launch of two new technical support centers to provide improved technical assistance around the world, around the clock. With the increasing globalization and manufacturing going worldwide, Master Bond observed the need to provide multilingual customer support in the country of origin. Our new support centers for the European and Asian markets assures us a thorough understanding of the engineer’s requirements and eliminates sources of error.


"Engineers listening to Engineers" is the credo and motto at Master Bond’s Technical Support Centers. As an advanced adhesive formulator and manufacturer, we strive to sell bonding solutions, not merely adhesive formulations. When choosing an adhesive, it is critical that the engineers involved in the development of the device communicate directly with a materials engineer who has expertise in recommending adhesive formulations for that specific industry.
At the initial-stage of understanding the customer’s required performance properties our applications engineers cover this partial checklist:
a. What is the product’s function and the specific polymer usage therein?
b. What are the specific substrates to be bonded?
c. What mechanical forces, shock & vibration will the assembly be subjected to?
d. What is the maximum service temperature range and normal operating temperature range for the component? Is it subjected to any thermal shock or cycling?
e. Will the bond be exposed to any chemicals or sterilants?
f. Do you need to meet any specific standards or approvals such as USP Class VI biocompatibility, FDA food grade, NASA low outgassing, or UL94V-0 flame retardant
g. Are there any required optical characteristics?
h. Do you require specific thermal and/or electrical properties?
i. Are there specific viscosity requirements?
j. What are the manufacturing constraints cure time, personnel, occupational safety etc.
k. What mixing, dispensing and curing equipment do you already have? Do you have any surface preparation equipment?
In the follow-up product definition stages support engineers clarify the features and traits the adhesive must embody. We will try to solve contradictions in performance properties that often arise, or offer an alternative method while still considering maximum performance. The final recommendation of an adhesive compound emphasizes simplicity of application and reproducibility of results. Continued technical support is provided to deal with any issues that may arise in testing or production.
Don’t be impressed by our array of 3,000 thousand different grades of adhesives, we won't be selling an off the shelf product anyway. Master Bond's adhesives are compounded for your specific order to assure optimum suitability, freshness and shelf life. If a compound is not available in our vast product line to meet the requirements Master Bond will promptly formulate one. This may include the redesign of an existing product or the development of a new composition. Successful product reformulation and development encompass enhanced resistance to chemicals, high temperatures, shock and vibration as well as specific desired mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Also viscosities and cure schedules can be adjusted for maximum productivity.
Master Bond’s engineers in the Europe and Asia offices will capture specific application needs in the German and English languages at customers’ actual hours of work.