How do I find the right adhesive?

And why use adhesive?

Special requirements call for special solutions. And adhesives can offer these special solutions. The advantage of adhesive bonding is that there is a suitable adhesive for almost every application. Bonding offers many advantages – especially compared to the screwing, welding or riveting of materials.

Our top 10 advantages

1. Versatility

A wide variety of materials can be joined through bonding – e.g. metal, plastic, wood, glass, ceramic or paper – with and among each other.

2. Weight

In contrast to screws, for example, adhesive is very light. The use of adhesives can therefore save a lot of weight.

3. Material protection

Bonding does not change or deform the surface – unlike, for example, the high temperatures involved in welding.

4. Visual appearance

The use of adhesives is also recommended for visual reasons. Especially when transparent adhesives are used, a joint is not even noticeable.

5. Loads

Adhesive bonding can achieve a more even transmission of forces. When riveting or screwing, a point load occurs.

6. Sealing

A great side effect of some adhesives is their absorbing and sealing effect.

7. Dispensing

Adhesives can be easily dispensed and applied in a highly targeted manner. Sometimes just a few drops are enough for enormously strong joints.

8. Equipment

Bonding can be carried out almost always and everywhere. No machines or expensive tools are required.

9. Repairs

Adhesives are especially useful in terms of sustainability: they enable repairs as an alternative to disposing of things.

10. Costs

Owing to the low material expenditure, fast application and the aspect of sustainability, adhesives can save time and money.

Finding the right adhesive

We show you how to choose the right adhesive in our WE explain video „How to find the right adhesive“. Our adhesive finder is also a helpful aid in the decision-making process.

To the adhesive finder

The WEICON check list

Generally, it can help to ask yourself a few questions before you start the bonding process.
We have summarised them in a short check list:

✓ What materials are going to be bonded?

✓ What size is the bonding surface and the bonding gap? Depending on the material and the structure of the bonding components, you either need a runny or a pasty adhesive.

✓ How much time do you have for the bonding process? There are certain adhesives that take a few seconds or minutes to cure; others take hours or even days.

✓ What loads does the joint have to carry after adhesive bonding and what is it used for?

✓ Which environmental conditions is the adhesive joint exposed to?

✓ Which temperatures prevail?

✓ What other forces affect the materials?

Adhesives for special requirements

To illustrate the diversity of the special requirements placed on adhesives, we would like to present three very special types here. In addition, there are countless other adhesives that are perfectly suited for their specific application area.