On one side, there are the rivets, bolts, and welds—methods that clearly demonstrate their functionality. These mechanical technologies have been around for so long that we understand them very well. You don’t need anyone to explain how a bolt works or how it holds two pieces of metal together. In fact, we’re used to seeing ships, skyscrapers, and even bridges held together by massive bolts, assuming that metals are joined through welding. For these reasons, we naturally gravitate toward these familiar "mechanical fastening" solutions that are simple and well-known. Yet, despite knowing that in many industrial sectors, rivets, bolts, and welds have often been replaced by structural adhesives, which have become the go-to solution for bonding metals, plastics, and other materials due to their various advantages such as lightness, instant bonding, no pre-drilling required, and clean aesthetics. All these benefits apply not only to structural adhesives but also to high-performance adhesive tapes. Still, the doubt persists: do structural adhesives really work? Are they strong enough to replace rivets, bolts, and welds in industrial settings? Let’s find out.
### A Brief Overview of Structural Adhesives
We’ve already discussed what structural adhesives are, so let’s be concise here: in short, they are extremely strong adhesives. Qualitatively speaking, a structural adhesive can create a bond at least as strong as the materials it is joining. However, when it comes to strength, performance, and safety, qualitative descriptions fall short. In the U.S., adhesives with a shear strength of over 7 megapascals are considered structural, while in Europe, the bar is set higher at 10 megapascals.
Typically, structural adhesives are liquid, thermosetting types, though there are many variations. It’s worth noting that these aren’t new products—they’re well-established and refined. For instance, 3M launched its first contact adhesive based on neoprene in 1942 and introduced the first flexible epoxy structural adhesive and even the first liquid spray adhesive in the 1960s. Thus, structural adhesives are a solid, well-regulated reality. Now, let’s see just how effective they are.
### Do Structural Adhesives Really Work? Evidence from Testing
To understand how and how well structural adhesives perform, there’s nothing better than comparing them with traditional fastening methods like welding, riveting, and bolting, which are often used interchangeably.
The most important metric for evaluating a fastening solution is shear strength under overlap. Which method—flow welding, spot welding, rivets, bolts, or structural adhesives—provides the highest resistance? The data shows that rivets, despite being cost-effective and relatively quick to use, are at the bottom of the list with the worst results. Bolts, similar to rivets, provide high resistance where installed but fail to contribute to the rest of the surface. Spot welding performs slightly better but still focuses only on specific points. The two methods that offer the highest shear strength under overlap are flow welding and structural adhesives, capable of performing up to three times better than the “weaker†rivets.
### Versatile Applications
In terms of numbers, structural adhesives work—and often surpass—traditional fastening methods. They can be used in a wide range of applications: bonding metals, plastics, and composites; working with both stable and flexible surfaces; withstanding extreme temperatures; and more. We invite you to explore our online store to discover the best structural adhesives tailored to your industrial needs!
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