The right adhesive starts with the right understanding. At APPLIED Adhesives, our 50+ years of hands-on experience help manufacturers make confident, informed decisions every day. We’ve compiled essential adhesive terminology to cut through the noise and support smarter solution selection.
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While adhesives and sealants are both used to bond materials, they have distinct characteristics and applications that are important to understand to choose the right product for your needs.
Adhesives are designed to provide a strong bond between two surfaces. Depending on the type of adhesive, these bonds can be permanent or temporary. Permanent bonding adhesives can often be used in applications where structural strength is required, such as in manufacturing and construction.
Sealants are used to create a barrier or seal between two surfaces, preventing the passage of air, water, or other substances. They tend to be more flexible than adhesives and are commonly used to fill gaps, joints, or seams. Sealants are commonly applied in the construction, automotive, and plumbing industries.
There’s a wide variety of adhesives on the market with different properties and specifications that are designed for specific applications. Below, we outline some common adhesives used in commercial or industrial settings.
Hot melt adhesives are thermoplastic materials that soften or melt when heated and solidify upon cooling to form a bond. Manufacturers seek hot melt adhesives for their excellent bonding strength and fast set time. There are different types of hot melt chemistries, including EVAs, metallocenes, APAOs, and more. These adhesives have a wide range of applications, including end-of-line packaging, automotive interior bonding, and product assembly.
Water-based adhesives are adhesives that develop bond strength as water evaporates or is absorbed into the substrate, allowing the adhesive polymers to coalesce into a continuous film. While they are created using natural polymers like starch, dextrin, casein, natural rubber latex, and animal glue, water-based adhesives can also contain synthetic polymers like polyvinyl acetates and acrylics. They are commonly used in bottle and can labeling, woodworking, and bookbinding.
Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are adhesives that adhere to a substrate when light pressure is applied and are tacky at room temperature. PSAs provide strong adhesion to various surfaces, including metals, glass, and many plastics. Common uses of pressure-sensitive adhesives include the production of adhesive tapes and labels. They are also popular in medical applications.
Structural adhesives are high-performance adhesives designed to create durable, load-bearing bonds that maintain strength under stress, impact, and environmental exposure. These adhesives distribute stress more evenly across the bond line compared to mechanical fasteners. Common chemistries of structural adhesives include epoxies, acrylics, and methyl methacrylates. They are widely used in automotive, aerospace, construction, and industrial assembly applications where
long-term strength and reliability are critical.
Sustainable adhesives are adhesives designed to reduce environmental impact while maintaining performance across a range of applications. Rather than being a specific type of adhesive chemistry, sustainable adhesives are a classification of adhesives based on different environmental attributes. These solutions may include biodegradable, water-based, bio-based, or repulpable formulations. Manufacturers are increasingly adopting sustainable adhesives to hit environmental goals, reduce waste, and meet regulatory compliance.
Coatings applied to a substrate can serve multiple functions, such as protecting the product against damage, enabling adhesion, or adding a decorative element. A diverse family, there are durable coatings for even the most unique products.
UV coatings are coatings that cure rapidly when exposed to ultraviolet light. They are great for high-speed processing while providing a durable, high-gloss, or specialty finish. Some types of UV coating include tactile, glitter, scratch-off and glow-in-the-dark options.
Water-based coatings are coatings that use water as a carrier and dry through evaporation. They offer protection from the elements while still adding aesthetic appeal.
Adhesives have a wide range of applications across various industries. Some common applications include:
Adhesive equipment includes tools and machinery used for the application, handling, and dispensing of adhesives. There is equipment for more manual dispensing of adhesives as well as fully automated dispensing systems.
Adhesive dispensing equipment can include the following:
Cartridge Guns: Cartridge guns are handheld tools that are used to dispense adhesives from cartridges. There are cartridge guns for both one-component and two-component adhesives.
Glue Guns: Glue guns are handheld tools that heat and dispense hot melt adhesive. They are commonly used for low- to medium-volume operations.
Bulk Hot Melt Dispensing Systems: Hot melt systems are designed to melt, pump, and dispense hot melt adhesives in bulk form for high-volume production environments.
Fluid Dispensing Systems: Fluid dispensing systems apply controlled amounts of liquid materials, including adhesives, sealants, and coatings, using pumps, valves, and applicators to ensure precision and repeatability. They are used in applications ranging from precision benchtop assembly to fully automated high-volume manufacturing. Depending on the system, they can dispense one-component or two-component materials.
Meter Mix Dispensing Systems: Meter mix systems are designed specifically for the dispensing of two-component materials. They precisely measure, mix, and dispense these materials at a consistent ratio to promote proper curing and performance.
Choosing the right adhesive equipment is crucial for ensuring proper adhesive application, optimizing efficiency, and achieving consistent results across various industries. Learn more about our adhesive dispensing equipment.
Becoming familiar with adhesive terms that are commonly used to describe adhesive performance and applications will make it easier to determine which products are best for your needs.