Not so long ago, many specialists engaged in the design and manufacture of metal structures, did not apply in their practical activities gluing, because they considered this method of connecting parts unreliable. And the reason for this was the insufficient cohesive strength of adhesive for metal, inferior to the strength of the metal itself, although the adhesion to this material was quite satisfactory.

Today, thanks to advances in modern chemistry, designers and technologists have at their disposal special and universal adhesives for metal. This made it possible to firmly bond metal to glass, rubber, plastic, etc., as well as to connect heterogeneous metals such as steel to aluminium. Glue for metal has become a very popular material in domestic and foreign automotive, chemical, aviation, shipbuilding, general construction and other industrial production industries.

Metal adhesives are divided into two broad groups depending on their purpose:

• Structural or power – used where there is a need for particularly strong connections, for example, in the manufacture of aircraft structures with lightweight aggregate, gluing friction cladding to brake pads, etc. Here the adhesive for metal resists considerable stress aimed at disconnection of fastened elements.
• Non-constructional adhesive for metal is not able to withstand significant loads. Its purpose is to fix parts that are not subject to mechanical effects, such as gluing plates or rubber gaskets to metal stands, as well as temporary connections.

At present, bonding is considered one of the best methods of permanent connection of all kinds of materials, including metals. This is also due to the fact that the traditional methods such as soldering, welding and riveting, with all its advantages are not without serious disadvantages.

Advantages of J-B Weld adhesive bonding

• J-B Weld metal adhesive is able to reliably bond heterogeneous metals, while its welding technology is special and often quite complex. Sometimes welded connections, such as magnesium and aluminium, are so fragile that their practical use becomes impossible. Dissimilar metals that contact each other can form an electric steam. Its galvanic action leads to serious corrosion, which is intensified in a humid atmosphere.
• The J-B Weld metal adhesive firmly binds metal and non-metal materials. Specifically, when bonded to aluminium or vinyl film steel, an innovative “metal plastic” is formed which combines the strength of the metal with the anti-corrosion properties of vinyl. This laminate material is widely used in the production of conveyor belts, control panels, chemical vessels, pipes, tanks, furniture, etc.
• The metal adhesive strengthens the structure, while welding, soldering, as well as joining with rivets and bolts due to the need to drill holes weaken it. In particular, gluing friction linings to steel brake pads instead of riveting has dramatically increased their life span.
• The J-B Weld metal adhesive is virtually indispensable when connecting thin sheets of sheet metal used in powertrain, electrical equipment and apparatus manufacturing. Mechanical coupling of elements of such constructions is unacceptable because of insignificant resistance to buckling, and high temperature during welding works leads to geometrical changes and warping.
• The weld formed by metal adhesive distributes the load evenly over the entire joint area. Welded points and rivets, on the other hand, serve as a place of stress concentration. As a result, the fatigue strength of a glued structure is significantly higher than that of a dotted or welded structure.
• Bonding significantly reduces the weight of the structure. In particular, aviation specialists believe that using J-B Weld metal adhesives instead of welding and riveting can reduce the total weight by 25-30 %. This is due to the fact that the glue joint allows for a higher load on the structure, so the components can be thinner. In addition, the weight of rivets and seals must be taken into account.
• Adhesive for metal itself provides tightness of connections. And air- and watertight structures, assembled by other methods, must be additionally sealed. It leads to superfluous expenses of labour, materials, weighting, complication, increase in price of products.
• Glue for metal makes it possible to glue special gaskets to metal parts, which increases sound absorption, improves thermal, electrical and thermal insulation properties, reduces or completely eliminates vibration.