Safety-first adhesives promise uncompromised performance, says Henkel

Under its flagship brand LOCTITE, Henkel is introducing a new adhesive for the assembly of small components and quick maintenance repairs, as well as highlighting several products with new capabilities at the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics 2022 exhibition, which runs from 8-10 February, Farnborough, on Stand H165.

These developments span different technologies, but a key focus will be on instant component bonding and the launch of a new ultra-performance cyanoacrylate adhesive, LOCTITE 402.

This new addition and a series of upgrades in this range allow industry to take full advantage of the technology's potential to simplify design, improve reliability and increase productivity, while also enhancing occupational safety, states Henkel.

Best-in-class instant adhesive

“LOCTITE 402 is Henkel's new best-in-class instant adhesive which develops handling strength twice as fast on most substrates by comparison with other assembly solutions (3 - 10 seconds),” says the company. “This single component product also remains three times stronger on most metals at temperatures up to 150°C and offers sustained hot strength performance on selected metals at 135°C.  This is a big benefit for products whose power supply and connectivity generate a lot of heat.”

This new adhesive also sets an important new health and safety milestone for instant adhesives, it adds. “Its patented formula contains more globally accepted raw materials to enhance worker and workplace safety. Specifically, this new addition and others that will feature at the show, have a novel stabiliser package that removes the need for ingredients that have recently come under greater regulatory scrutiny.

'Desirable alternative'

"This breakthrough, in combination with the other technical advancements, make LOCTITE instant bonding a desirable alternative to other fastening methods in an even greater number of manufacturing environments.”

The continuous development of adhesive formulation has been a longstanding Henkel commitment and this has resulted in the performance capabilities of the LOCTITE range being extended year on year. Tasks such as bonding, locking and sealing threads, retaining assemblies and liquid gasketing have all benefited and, at Southern Manufacturing and Electronics 2022, visitors will learn more about the latest generation products in each category.

Notable improvements and complete turnkey package

Notable improvements across the board include higher service temperatures, ability to cure through light surface contamination and improved curing on inactive metals, without the need for a primer.

Henkel's ability to provide a complete turnkey package will also be showcased. The company complements its engineering adhesives with its own standard and bespoke dispensing systems. “This ensures the dispensing system is designed with the benefit of an in-depth knowledge of the adhesive's characteristics and performance.” A cross-section of both manual and automated systems will be featured on the stand.