Chapter

Information Technology
19
19.1 Introduction
The computer age has made significant and somewhat unexpected im-
pacts on the adhesives and sealants industries in recent years. Com-
puters and analytical programs have, of course, greatly assisted both
adhesive developers and manufacturers. As examples, computer anal-
ysis capabilities have been able to help us understand the stress dis-
tributions within complex joints and to simulate the effect of chemical
or moisture penetration within the adhesive joint. Such advances are
expected of a mature industry and technology.
However, what was somewhat unexpected is the assistance that in-
formation technology provides to the end user of adhesives and seal-
ants. These advances can primarily be classified as:
䡲 Information access
䡲 Search and selection capabilities

There are several examples given in this chapter for each of these
areas.
It is apparent that information handling technologies are just now
making inroads into this rather conservative industry. The future use
of computers and information science in providing assistance to the
end users appears to have significant potential. It may be appropriate
to add ‘‘information sciences’’ to the sciences shown in Fig. 1.3 that
make-up what we know today about adhesives and sealants technol-
ogy.

19.2 Information Access

There are, of course, a proliferation of Internet web sites belonging to
manufacturers of adhesives and sealants. These range from those that

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provide simply a contact person, to those that supply complete product

descriptions, instructions on how to use the product, tutorials on sur-
face preparation and joint design, and links to related web sites. The
web sites that are related to the adhesives and sealants industry are
identified in a number of publications and directories. A good directory
is in the Annual Buyers’ Guide (Supplier Section) for the periodical
‘‘Adhesives & Sealants Industry’’. Several trade magazines have also
begun periodic review of industry related web sites.
It is not the intention in this chapter to review these web sites, but
to highlight several that are good examples of the potential capabili-
ties and that have generally provided useful information to the user
of adhesives and sealants. The following web sites are in that category
and worthy of a bookmark.

The Adhesives and Sealant Council, Inc. www.ascouncil.org

Adhesives and Sealants Online www.adhesivesandsealants.com
Assembly Magazine Online www.assemblymag.com
Adhesives for Industry Tech Center ww.gluguru.com

19.3 Adhesive and Sealant Selection

Several web sites have been set-up to not only inform the user of prod-
ucts and services offered by the manufacturers of adhesives and seal-
ants, but also to provide real knowledge that can be used in the every
day selection and utilization of these materials. Several of these web
sites will be reviewed here. The list is definitely not meant to be all
encompassing. There are new sites coming on-stream daily. Those that
are identified in this chapter represent the opportunities that such
sites provide to both the user and manufacturer of adhesives and seal-
ants.
Users should be cautious of working with the programs embedded
in these websites, however. Their ease of use can create a false sense
of security. If possible, time should be spent learning the underlying
assumptions of the program. As with use of any computer intelligence
program, one should apply experience, common sense, and outside
opinions to the results that are provided to check their accuracy and
to help in avoiding catastrophic mistakes. These computer systems
can be used profitably as a ‘‘front end engine’’ to make the initial gath-
ering of information and sources more efficient. One should never
‘‘blindly use’’ the result provided from such a program.
Because the adhesives and sealants industry is very fragmented
(several very large companies, but thousands of very small compa-
nies), locating the right adhesive has been very much of a hit or miss
proposition. On the part of the adhesive or sealant user, it requires
contacting dozens of manufacturers, listing requirements, and discus-
 Information Technology 761

sion trade-offs. Also, the prospective adhesive user doesn’t always

know what questions to ask the manufacturer.
From the manufacturer’s side, it is also a difficult process. The re-
sponse to potential customers’ inquiries takes up much of their tech-
nical marketing staff’s time, and volumes may not be there to justify
significant development or follow-through. So frequently, both user
and manufacturer spend much time on a query only to find that what
the manufacturer offers and what the user wants do not match. The
web sites listed below attempt to make this process much more effi-
cient.
In addition to selecting adhesives for a specific application, selection
programs also provide a means to comparison shop, in order to find a
less expensive product or a second source of supply. It is also possible
to search for alternative products that conform to regulatory require-
ments which the current product may not fulfill.

19.3.1 AdhesivesMart
A new industrial adhesive web site at www.AdhesivesMart.com al-
ready contains information on over 1,000 adhesives.1 Developed by
AdhesivesMart Inc., located in West Newton, MA, the web site is de-
signed to make life easier for both users and manufacturers of indus-
trial adhesives. In essence, AdhesivesMart.com acts as a middleman
and matchmaker by efficiently connecting the two sides of the market.
AdhesivesMart.com is the Internet’s first example of providing a
complete and sophisticated selection process for an industrial product.
It has combined a search engine with a questionnaire that helps define
the characteristics of the adhesives that are required. After the ques-
tionnaire is completed, the prospective user receives a list of products
that meets the ‘‘specifications’’ provided. If the list is too long, the user
is asked to refine the questionnaire to narrow down the search and be
more focused.
Searchers working through AdhesivesMart.com can also request
pricing details, technical specifications, Material Safety Data Sheets,
and other information from the manufacturers through the web site.
The web site forwards these requests directly to the manufacturer who
responds to the site user via e-mail, surface mail, or a phone call.
AdhesivesMart does not take orders or represent specific manufac-
turers. Instead, the company receives a commission from suppliers on
sales that occur as a result of the web site connection.

19.3.2 Adhesive Selector

Another selector tool, Adhesive Selector, can be found on www.
assemblymag.com/toolbox/adhesive.2 Similar to AdhesivesMart.
762 Chapter Nineteen

com, this tool allows a user to enter a number of variables, and the
selector will suggest the best possible materials to use. The vari-
ables include:
䡲 Substrate to be bonded
䡲 Upper limit of temperature to which the adhesive can be exposed
䡲 Lower limit of temperature to which the adhesive can be exposed
䡲 Maximum tensile strength
䡲 Viscosity
䡲 Cure time
䡲 Additional cure needs
䡲 Environmental conditions to which the adhesive may be subjected
䡲 Chemicals to which the adhesive may be subjected
䡲 Special requirements and traits, such as thermal conductivity and
FDA clearance
The Adhesives Selector is very intuitive. The user follows a clear
and logical path to get results that let him or her speak intelligently
to adhesive suppliers. The user first enters the basic material types
that are to be joined. From there, the selector allows a more detailed
description of the materials, and the user can enter more detailed
process and joining information. The results are provided to the user
in a weighted manner, indicating which adhesive type works best in
the conditions the user has selected. Clicking on the selected adhesive
types provides a detailed description of adhesive properties.
The Adhesive Selector is the result of a cooperative effort between
the editors of Assembly magazine and the Edison Welding Institute
(EWI). Future additions to the selector include links to treatises on
adhesive use and technical papers.

19.3.3 Sealant System

The National Research Council of Canada began developing an expert
computer-based system for sealant joint design.3 Innovative Technol-
ogy, Inc. of Ottawa Ontario, has taken this work and developed it into
a Microsoft Windows-based program called Sealant System.
The following data is provided as input to the Sealant System:
䡲 Project characteristics
䡲 Joint description
䡲 Joint design
䡲 Joint characteristics
䡲 Sealant characteristics
 Information Technology 763

The user first inputs the geographical location, construction toler-

ances, and units of measure that are applicable to the sealant project.
The joint descriptions are provided by various pull-down menus. They
feature parameters such as the joint location in a building, and
whether or not to use a primer. For the joint design, the user selects
the joint shape as either butt or fillet. From various pull-down menus,
the substrate materials and characteristics are also chosen. Dimen-
sions are added to the joint design at this stage. The user then chooses
various desirable sealant properties, such as mildew resistance, paint-
ability, or abrasion resistance. Finally, a decision is made to specify
the joint width either directly or by indicating the movement range of
interest.
Once this data are placed into the system, the Sealant System de-
signs the joint and provides the following output:

䡲 All calculations
䡲 Possible commercial sealants
䡲 All relevant specifications

Joint design calculations for thermal and moisture movements are

provided as well as joint width dimensions and sealant movement
range. The program selects from its database of sealants those ma-
terials that meet the joint movement and input sealant characteris-
tics. The program can also print out sealant specifications that are
relevant to the project.
Sealant System is a stand alone computer program. Future versions
of the program will incorporate user comments, the latest contribution
to sealant joint design testing and theory. Other joint design meth-
odologies, such as tension and compression combined with shear
movement, will also be incorporated into the program.

19.3.4 ADHESIVES
ADHESIVES is a database access program whose main focus is facil-
itating access to basic adhesive bonding technology.4 It is sponsored
by the U.S. Army Material Command and the Army Aviation Systems
Command (AVS-COM). Prototype adhesives databases were con-
structed and have been reported in the literature, and these have led
to the more advanced ADHESIVES database
The ADHESIVES database includes not only the properties of spe-
cific adhesives, but also additional supporting information on adher-
ends, surface preparations, physical/chemical test methods, and re-
pair techniques and procedures. In addition, major sections of the
database are devoted to information on the design and manufacturing
of bonded structures and lessons learned from past adhesive bonding
764 Chapter Nineteen

problems. The database also provides the technical results from ad-
hesive evaluations performed by DOD agencies, independent test labs,
and adhesive manufacturers.
The information contained in the database is unclassified, but a sig-
nificant portion is categorized for government use only. Program ac-
cess is therefore restricted to government and contractor personnel
strictly on a ‘‘need to know’’ basis. In an effort to assure maximum
program use, company proprietary information has been excluded.
The information that is provided and maintained in the
ADHESIVES database is the following:

䡲 Laboratory test data

䡲 Trade identifications
䡲 Adhesive materials
䡲 Surface preparations
䡲 Adherends
䡲 Test methods
䡲 Documents
䡲 Glossary

One of the most interesting sections of the ADHESIVES database

is the ‘‘Lessons Learned’’ section. One could argue that the best avail-
able source of information is the historical knowledge gained from ex-
perience with actual adhesive bonding systems. The Lessons Learned
files can be accessed in three ways: type of material, hardware item,
or category of failure. Submenus then narrow the possible choices to
a small list of fields. The Category of Failures files classifies the origin
of failure to either the design, manufacturing, or service phases of the
hardware life cycle. In each case, a record appears that describes the
hardware, the problem, its solution, and any lesson derived from the
incident.

References
1. ‘‘Web Site Speeds Search for Industrial Adhesives’’, (no author), Adhesives Age, May
1998.
2. Williams, T. A., ‘‘Adhesive Selector Debuts’’, Assembly, November 1998.
3. O’Connor, T. F., and Myers, J. C., ‘‘Black Magic and Sealant Joints: Very Little in
Common Anymore’’, Adhesives Age, 1997.
4. Desmond, A. T., et al., ‘‘Database Helps Engineers Choose Proper Bonding Method’’,
Adhesives Age, May 1992.