Adhesives Vs Mechanical Fastenings: A Guide for Appliance Manufacturing

As the appliance industry grows, both in consumer and industrial industries, manufacturers are moving towards adhesive solutions to replace traditional mechanical fasteners.

In response to evolving designs, consumer expectations, and manufacturing economics, adhesives are the preferred choice in modern appliance assembly, but why? In this guide we will explore the advantages of adhesives, sealants, and tapes over traditional bonding methods for today’s appliances.

What are the Limitations of Traditional Fastenings?

Traditional fastenings, such as screws, bolts, nails, and rivets, while providing a strong mechanical bond, limit modern designs, cost time and money, and put appliances at risk of premature failure:

Design Constraints & Aesthetic Compromises

Traditional fasteners require materials with a certain thickness, and enough room for installation tools, while also leaving visible screws, holes, and fastener protrusions, creating unsightly seams and colour interruptions, which in turn can lower the possible price of the finished item.

Stress Concentration

Fasteners create point loads and stress concentrations rather than spread out the load, which can lead to cracking in thinner materials.

Vibration Loosening

Appliances with constant vibrations from motors and compressors can cause fasteners to loosen over time, reducing the life span of appliances like washing machines and dryers.

Labour and Time

Traditional fasteners require drilling, alignment, driving, and thread locking, requiring more labour time, and product costs.

What are the Advantages of Adhesives?

Design freedom and Aesthetics

Adhesives can bond ultra-thin or dissimilar materials without compromising on structural integrity, as well as allow for complex curved and contoured assemblies, smaller appliances, thinner materials, and flush mounting.

They leave smooth exterior surfaces and clear adhesives are available to provide invisible bond lines. All resulting in seamless and minimalist designs which allow for a higher, premium, price point.

Dual Functionality and Improved Sealing

A single adhesive can replace mechanical fasteners and separate sealing products; they bond and seal. Adhesives can prevent water and dust ingress, provide thermal and electrical insulation, reduce leakages and more.

Weight Reduction

Adhesives are lighter than metal fasteners, reducing the overall weight of the appliance, which in turn reduces shipping costs, and often provides improved energy efficiency.

Stress Distribution

The way adhesives are applied allow for loads to be distributed evenly, creating a higher overall joint strength, a reduction in crack risk, and, ultimately, improved durability and longevity

Acoustics and Noise Dampening

Certain adhesives contribute to noise reduction due with dampening characterises and airtight sealing, mounting motors, compressors, and pumps with these materials can reduce noise significantly.

Manufacturing Efficiency

Adhesive application requires less steps when manufacturing, reducing parts and products required, and can be easily automated, creating less defects.

Frequently Asked Questions and Concerns

Despite all these advantages we understand that some engineers may remain hesitant about adhesives over traditional fasteners, below we have addressed some common concerns. For more personalised answers for your specific query, concern, or appliance, contact our Technical Team.

Are adhesives reliable long term?

Many appliances are designed for a certain life span and face challenging conditions from extreme temperatures to constant vibration or chemical exposure. Our adhesives are tested to meet industry standards and provide bonds that last, but ultimately adhesive selection is key; the right adhesive must be used for the specific application.

What about serviceability and maintenance?

While permanent adhesives can complicate disassembly and maintenance requirements, many consumer appliances do not require the ability to disassemble. Additionally, hybrid approaches can be utilised where serviceability is a necessary, using adhesives for permanent seals and traditional fastenings where required. Lastly some adhesive formulations can be de-bonded.

How do I ensure consistent bond quality?

TECHSiL can help to advise on the best and most efficient process for you individual production and volumes, whether that be manual or automated dispensing. Adhesive dispensing can be automated to ensure consistent output and volume control. Additionally batch specific documentation and full traceability allow for consistent quality control.

Are adhesives safe in food contact applications?

Lots of appliances are in food contact applications and require food safe bonding. Many of our adhesive products are FDA approved for in direct and direct food contact applications. Contact our Team for more information.

For more information about how to choose the right adhesives for your appliance application, contact our Technical Team.

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Why Choose TECHSiL?

For over 30 years, TECHSiL has supplied high performance materials across industries from our offices in the UK, offering adhesives, silicones, tapes, lubricants, O-rings and related products.

Contact our Technical Team to discuss our adhesives solutions, and they will help evaluate your current process and recommend alternatives to save you time, money, and improve performance.

Services We Offer

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