Mass market production takes into account two major factors: cost and efficiency. Products must be easy to transport and easy to assemble, thereby maximising the profit that can be made. A mix of materials is often used to keep the costs and product weight as low as possible.
Most manufacturing components today are made from plastic resin or metal, and bonding the two materials together can be a huge challenge. This is also the same for hobby crafters at home who are trying to bond plastic and metal.
When parts are made out of the same materials, a bonding solution is more simple; you can use epoxies for plastics and adhesives for metal. This same theory applies from large manufacturing all the way down to hobby crafts.
Challenges in metal bonding adhesion
One of the biggest challenges is bonding dissimilar materials, such as metals and plastics. Different types of plastics are easier then others. For example, ABS and polycarbonate are typically easy to join to metals, whereas extremely smooth plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene pose a bigger challenge. It can often be tricky to get the right size of metal at the right angle but with Bending Machines it makes it possible with speed and efficiency. These machines can pretty much bend any meta with ease and you can source them from links like https://www.cotswold-machinery-sales.co.uk/euromac/bending-machines/.
Using a primer
A primer will go a long way toward ensuring a good strong final bond, but multi-material bonding essentially boils down to finding a compromise between dissimilar materials. There are many primers on the market that can help with metal bonding adhesion, so be sure to choose the right one.
Innovative products
New ideas are constantly being developed, and one product making this type of job look easy is the metal bonding adhesive. It not only bonds metal to plastic, but also to wood and other metals. This product is set to simplify the process in mass market production and for hobby crafters with the same issue.
Getting help
If you’re unsure which adhesive best suits the material properties of substrates, consider contacting experts to help you choose the right solution. The Society for Adhesion and Adhesives Board has free journals online available for further research of different materials.
Before use
Always test your chosen adhesive on a smaller area before tackling the bigger project area. This will allow you to test the strength of the bond and adjust your requirements accordingly. Always work with caution.
