Application equipment anaerobic adhesives

Most anaerobic adhesive formulations are based on oligomeric acrylic esters, inherently low-toxicity materials. Various formulations contain additives such as adhesion promoters or cure components, and after excessive or repeated skin contact may cause skin irritation in sensitive persons. Adhesives should be washed away with water after skin contact. Nonaque-ous hand cleaners assist in removal of adhesive. Skin contact should be avoided by the use of appropriate application equipment. 

Obviously, successful application equipment design is contingent upon incorporation of materials compatible with anaerobic adhesives. Components or fittings should be fabricated from materials which do not contain destabilizing components. 

As with the anaerobic adhesives, moisture-curing adhesives, such as cyanoacrylates, are typically applied using bottles, cartridges etc., made for specific applications. Since moisture exclusion is imperative for premature polymerization, metering and dispensing equipment is designed specially to prevent contact of moisture-curing adhesives with air, prior to use. 

It is now common for anaerobic adhesives to be formulated to meet the specific needs of both the application and the equipment required to apply it — a process which has now resulted in several new and significant product developments. 

Many small-volume users dispense adhesive directly from the manufacturer s bottles and tubes, which are specifically designed for this purpose, but when mechanical application is required the anaerobic nature of the adhesive demands equipment which will not cause spontaneous curing within the apparatus. This must be obtained from the adhesive manufacturer. However, it may be coupled with a variety of supplementary mechanisms ranging from simple guidance systems to fully automated, self-checking dispensers. The ingenious methods often used to apply these adhesives have led to the development of some of the sophisticated equipment to be found in the adhesives field. 

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