The Intertronics Blog

Process speed and simplicity are just two of the many productivity benefits that light curing adhesives and coatings bring to the table. If this is a new process for you, or you are setting up production on a new product, then you will want to figure out how to get it working reliably and repeatably. […]

IRS 3078 Polyurethane Potting Compound is a semi-rigid, room temperature curing and electrically insulating black polyurethane potting compound. The material, which is low viscosity, semi-thixotropic and flowable, is available in convenient side-by-side double syringe cartridges. This packaging suits customers with smaller volume or occasional production needs. It offers high adhesion, good electrical insulation properties and […]

When mixing liquids, pastes and powders during an industrial process, you may identify issues that lead you to consider alternative methods. Common areas for improvement include variance due to a manual process, difficulty validating the process, or a high defect rate. You may also have productivity reasons to change your mixing processes, such as to […]

Application In today’s technologically-advanced world, consumers want products that are better, smarter and more intuitive to their needs. For brand owners and manufacturers, this means continuing to push the boundaries on innovative, increasingly-smaller devices that can give consumers new product options unlike anything they’ve seen before. The miniaturisation of devices can pose assembly and bonding challenges, […]

We have introduced IRS 2128 Toughened Epoxy Adhesive. This structural adhesive is a high-performance black resin system that offers good chemical resistance and excellent adhesion to a wide variety of substrates. Compared with many other epoxies, it offers vibration resistance and can bond dissimilar substrates more effectively. A two-part system with a simple 1:2 mix […]

We have introduced Dymax Low Shrink™ OP-81-LS UV adhesive, which offers very low volumetric shrinkage. Designed for optical assembly applications that require precise alignment, the material cures in seconds on exposure to UV/visible light. It is single-part, solvent free and can bond dissimilar substrates — it is recommended for materials including polycarbonate, glass, acrylic, metal, […]

Our latest White Paper, entitled Moving to UV LED Curing, the 365nm Myth – A Dance between Physics and Chemistry, discussed the assumptions around using UV LEDs to cure adhesives, coatings, sealants, encapsulants and temporary masking materials. Despite some hints on product data sheets, 365nm may very well not be the best wavelength to pick […]

Viscosity is the resistance of a fluid to flow. This means that different fluids with different viscosities will flow at different rates under the same force. The higher a viscosity a fluid has, the harder you have to push it to move it.  We call a higher viscosity fluid more viscous. You can see why […]

Our partners at THINKY, makers of planetary centrifugal mixers, have produced a video detailing how to use the THINKY ARV-501 vacuum mixer, with or without the vacuum mixing functionality. In this video, you can see how the user interface works, how to set up a program, and learn about the mixer’s PC interface:   The […]

Plasma surface treatment technology is well established in many manufacturing industries including medical devices, electronics, and automotive. In dental technology, several use cases have been developed, researched, and established to help dental technicians perform tasks more efficiently and achieve better results for patients. Plasma can initiate several physical and chemical processes that both clean and […]

3D printers usually print relatively small stuff – certainly less than 1 meter in any dimension. Our own 3D printer’s largest build dimension is 320mm, and that is fairly common. There are exceptions, of course – these days you can 3D print a two-story house. But for most applications, if you need to make a […]

A great article in Med-Tech Innovation News lists seven considerations for medical device design; it was written by Dan Purvis of Velentium, a company specialising in the design and manufacturing of therapeutic and diagnostic active medical devices. It’s worth reading the whole thing, but consideration number 5 caught our eye: Design with manufacturing in mind […]

An article in this week’s Electronics Weekly about the use of short-wave UV LED’s in the fight against Covid-19 contained this statement: “New international legislation which came into force in January 2020 means that mercury-based lamps are, with very few exceptions, no longer an option. The manufacture, import and export of mercury lamps is now […]

What makes a good adhesives partner? That’s a great question! We decided to answer it by getting a group of us together and thrashing it out. The results of our roundtable talk might surprise you. Please read the summary of our discussion, get some insight into the way we think, and see if you agree.

I was struck by an article today on the Industrial Technology website: European Manufacturing Breakthroughs Stifled by Overengineered Industrial Robots. The article quotes Torsten Christensen, partner and co-founder at ChangeForce, a Danish industrial consultancy firm. According to him, the most popular reason behind disappointing robotisation implementations is the complexity and over customisation of technologies installed.  […]

Flame-retardancy is a common requirement for materials used to make products that need to meet certain safety standards, such as home appliances, automotive systems, and electronics. A flame retardant is a chemical substance that is added to materials during their manufacturing process in order to both reduce the likelihood of the finished product catching fire and […]

One of our recently published White Papers discusses time-based considerations when specifying adhesives for any application. Not only are you looking for an adhesive that bonds well to your required substrates, but one which also meets the functional requirements of its application. In addition to these, there are also time-based considerations to factor in. Read […]

Selecting an adhesive One of the major considerations when specifying an adhesive is how quickly it will deliver return on investment (ROI), a metric that is affected by a variety of tangible and intangible factors. If you’ve ever tried to source an adhesive for your application, you probably realised quickly that there is no universally perfect […]

Congratulations! Our dispensing partner Viscotec, makers of preeflow, have announced that in 2020 they passed a milestone of supplying more than 100,000 dispensing pumps into industry, including 65,000 preeflow volumetric dispensing pumps. We have been providing these precision dispensers to manufacturers in the UK and Ireland for a decade now, and have facilitated their success […]

Jetting valves enable high-speed, continuous, non-contact dispensing of dots of small size, offering a high degree of accuracy and repeatability. During the jetting process, a small chamber is filled with material and ejected by firing a tappet through the chamber ― using either piezo or high energy pneumatics to achieve very fast tappet movement ― […]

Our latest White Paper tackles the issue of voids in potting compounds and encapsulation. Potting and encapsulating – avoiding voids was written by Paul Whitehead, our Strategic Accounts Manager. It discusses voids – what are they, why they are bad, and how to prevent them happening. If you are involved with electronics potting or encapsulation, […]

“The adhesive industry is the place to be for all the curious ones who want to deliver value!” One of our friends and colleagues, Robert Ignatzek, recently wrote this on LinkedIn. Robert is a 20 year veteran in the business, and an all round enthusiast for our sector. We responded to Robert, and he was […]

When you are experiencing poor productivity from an adhesives process, the first step to resolving the issue is to identify why — there are several common pain points, including speed, quality and waste. If you identify that a material is holding you back, what can you do to reach your productivity potential? Compared with mechanical […]

Encapsulants are often required to protect electronic components against moisture, chemicals, and rapid and extreme temperature changes while providing mechanical support and electrical insulation. Light-curable encapsulating compounds can provide significant benefits over conventional technologies, including very fast curing, lower operating costs and increased productivity driven by lower labour requirements, space savings, lower energy demand, and […]

The comfort, flexibility and connectivity of wearables have been made possible through progress in sensor technology, power management and transmitter technology; these advances in wearable technology require improvements to the production process. One important part of the assembly process is the dispensing of materials like adhesives, silicones, thermally and electrically conductive materials and greases. Dispensing […]

Our customers sometimes want to take advantage of UV curing on large or complicated assemblies, where a bench-mounted UV curing lamp will not allow ready access to the target areas. Some examples which spring to mind are the bonding of large PMMA point-of-sale assemblies, or the temporary masking of turbine blades. You also want to […]

This new e-book from our partners Dymax is entitled Smart Connected Device Assembly – 7 Ways Light Curable Maskants Can Provide Protection. Covering seven different electronics assembly processes, including soldering, coating, and surface treatments, the benefits of uv light curable temporary masking products are clearly described. It is worth downloading a copy!

When aesthetics are an important consideration alongside reliable sealing performance, a clear silicone is worth considering. Wacker ELASTOSIL® N2199 is a highly flexible, translucent silicone which meets the criteria of MIL-SPEC 46146, Group I, Type I. N 2199 is a one-part, ready-to-use, acid- and sovent-free, RTV-1 nonslumping paste that cures at room temperature to a […]

If you are mixing ultra-critical applications where even micro-bubbles cannot be tolerated, you may need the latest industrial non-contact vacuum planetary mixer, the THINKY ARV-501CE. The unit has a maximum capacity of 700g for mixing, de-foaming and degassing  any combination of liquids, powders, and pastes. It is suitable for all engineering compounds, from low viscosity to […]

Dymax MD® 1172-M-UR is an LED UV and broad-spectrum light-curable adhesive for bonding COC/COP film laminates and other difficult-to-bond-to plastics used in the assembly of in-vitro diagnostics (IVD), Lab-on-a-chip (LOC), and other point-of-care medical devices. This adhesive may also be of interest to manufacturers involved with the design of COVID-19 rapid diagnostic applications. The adhesive […]

Dispensing and dosing small quantities (microlitres) with volumetric precision can be a headache for many companies in sectors such as electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, medical device assembly and pharmaceuticals. Having to maintain accuracy whilst also meeting throughput and productivity demands may have traditionally pushed manufacturers towards complex, multi-system processes in order to achieve their […]

What is cyanoacrylate adhesive (CA) blooming, and what can you do about it? That is the subject of our latest White Paper, entitled Managing blooming in an adhesives process. The article discusses what is blooming, how it happens, and methods to reduce or eliminate it. Importantly, blooming does not affect the integrity of the adhesive […]

Adopting robotics for dispensing automation into your production process can contribute considerably to an increase in operational efficiency and productivity. As robotics technology advances, consistency and overall process control becomes ever more attainable and affordable. You may be surprised at how quickly return on investment can be achieved with dispensing robots, particularly when time savings, […]

Born2Bond two-part cyanoacrylate adhesives bring game-changing advancements to the world of adhesives, overcoming many of the performance and application limitations of existing cyanoacrylate adhesives. Born2Bond Structural is the toughest structural, fast cure two-part (2K) cyanoacrylate adhesive on the market, with the longest open time. Born2Bond Flex is the only two-part cyanoacrylate adhesive on the market […]

Under European Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, materials such as silicones can be rated food-compliant where they are manufactured using practices that “under normal or foreseeable conditions of use, they do not transfer their constituents to food in quantities which could endanger human health, bring about an unacceptable change in the composition of the food, or bring about […]

This new White Paper, entitled Are cyanoacrylate adhesives structural?, looks at the role of cyanoacrylate adhesives in load-bearing, structural applications. It discusses a new development which repositions this chemistry in the hierarchy of adhesives. Click on the image to read the full article. We have this White Paper and many other technical resources, including articles, […]

The best available option. That’s not the same as perfect. The best available option is always available. Perfect almost never is. Adhesive choice is always about compromise. Worthwhile debates: ultimate adhesive functionality versus process-ability the cost of the adhesive versus the cost of processing it the robustness of the adhesive versus rework-ability or end-of-life recycling The perfect […]

Wacker’s SILPURAN 4200® medical-grade silicone adhesive is a single-part transparent, room temperature vulcanising (RTV) silicone adhesive that is suitable for bonding cured silicone parts and highly elastic bonding between silicone and textiles, such as in ventilation masks and respiratory bellows. Formulated with a new catalyst which does not use organotin compounds, SILPURAN 4200 is ISO […]

Anthony Scala, a London-based glass artist and instructor, takes on repair work for glass pieces ranging from sentimental value to more significant worth. In order to complete repairs in a timely manner, Anthony sought an adhesive that offered a fast curing time whilst maintaining good clarity and structural reliability. Opti-tec 5013 Optically Clear, Fast-Curing Epoxy […]

If you are establishing a new process involving the UV light curing of an adhesive or another light curing material, we can highly recommend these resources. All are from our partners, Dymax. First, a couple of articles entitled Validating a UV Flood Curing Process and Validating a UV Spot Curing Process. Secondly, a couple of […]

Cyanoacrylate adhesives (CAs) cure best interfacially, i.e. between two surfaces, and in thin bondlines. In adhesive joint formats where there are exposed CA surfaces, fillets, or normal squeeze-out, those parts can take a long time to cure. This may inhibit the flow of a product to the next process in production, or attract contamination when […]

You may have heard this story in the last day or so: a tourist snapped off the toes of a 200-year-old Italian sculpture while sitting on it for a photograph. The museum is in Possagno, Italy, and specialises in the work of the 18th-century sculptor Antonio Canova. Ouch! The conservation and repair specialists could consider […]

Precise, process-safe applications in the field of microdispensing are the focus of preeflow dispensing systems. They employ the endless piston principle to provide accurate, repeatable volumetric dispensing of almost all materials, be they low or high viscosity. Some materials and environments have more rigourous demands for dispensing equipment, so preeflow has developed two new options […]

We’re on a mission to help UK manufacturers squeeze more productivity out of their bonding and materials application processes. While it is not usually difficult to figure out the investment justification on the equipment that we offer, there also isn’t a high upfront cost for improving your dispensing process from a manual one to one […]

Kevin Kelly recently turned 68 years old. Amongst many achievements, he is a co-founder of Wired magazine, and was publisher and editor of the Whole Earth Catalog. He celebrated his birthday by giving us 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice. There are many gems of wisdom there, and I do encourage everyone to read them. Some […]

In our determination not to let the pandemic keep us down, we have been pursuing further methods to help our customers push their businesses forward. We have always provided a service for helping you evaluate materials and equipment by providing testing in our Technology Centre. Often the results are provided to you in a written […]

The PiezoBrush PZ3 Handheld Plasma Surface Treatment Device from Relyon Plasma is suitable for use in manual or semi-automated production, new product development, and in research and development settings such as a laboratories. It is simple, safe and intuitive. With a maximum power consumption of 18W, its unique Piezoelectric Direct Discharge (PDD®) technology is used […]

We recently launched our archytas series of robot integrations, which are robotic dispensing, UV curing and/or surface preparation systems custom-built to meet your application requirements. Understanding the idea behind the systems is simple enough, but what’s the idea behind the name? Archytas (ARK-it-ahs) was an Ancient Greek philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and strategist. He is […]

LED UV light curing systems have gained popularity in recent years, and are becoming the technology of choice and more cost-attractive. The BlueWave QX4 LED UV Spot Curing Lamp offers all the benefits of LED UV over traditional broad-spectrum technology including instant on/off with no warm-up, low operating temperature, decreased energy consumption and up to 20,000 hour […]

Cyanoacrylate adhesives (CAs) have been around since the 1950s, and from the 1970s they have become a common household product. Today, manufacturers are increasingly using CAs and rely on them to bond plastics, metal, ceramic, rubber, wood and other substrates in many types of assemblies. They are unique in that they provide fast curing and […]

A number of the products that we offer are described as being highly accurate, precise and/or repeatable. We believe that these criteria are important to a process where consistent, high quality output is required, and they have a big impact on productivity through reduction of material waste, quality-based rejects, and rework. But what exactly do […]

Bonding effectiveness, rapid cure time and process efficiencies have made light curing materials popular for manufacturers for assembly applications. Here, we share three tips for your UV curing processes. With a clear understanding of the UV curing process and the technology available, you can make informed choices and optimise your process. Broad vs narrow spectrum lamps The […]

We launched the What is your productivity potential? campaign to help manufacturers improve your productivity and become more competitive on a global scale. It highlights the ways that assembly companies can simplify processes, improve output and reduce waste. Currently, in Spring 2020, manufacturing companies are facing different kinds of challenges. Some are frantic, assembling ventilators, […]

It is almost impossible to make precision manual application of materials like RTV silicones from their standard packaging – a 310ml cartridge. You have probably run a seal around your bathtub from such a cartridge, but if you want to apply a dot of a millimetre or two diameter to a complex printed circuit board, […]

Our new brochure details the products we offer to those assembling medical devices. They include ISO 10993 adhesives and associated mixing, dispensing and curing equipment – all designed to help you achieve process reliability, repeatability and validation. As a medical device manufacturer, you need: Adhesives and protective material which bond to your substrates, withstand the […]

The metering, mixing and application of two-part materials is always a tricky business, more so when the required amounts are relatively small – in the sub-millilitre range. If the two parts are of quite different viscosities, or the mix ratio is much greater than 1:1, or there are fillers involved, then it is even more […]

The UK’s manufacturing industry needs to be far more productive and therefore competitive than it is today. Solving the productivity puzzle may assume more importance as we emerge from the current pandemic crisis, with the essential task of ramping back up the manufacturing economy looming. In a few weeks, a month or two… we must […]

LED-based lighting technology is being used for manifold and diverse applications, including illuminations outside. For outdoor signage, manufacturers may need to use potting or encapsulation materials to protect LEDs against water, moisture and other environmental factors. Here is a case study of how a manufacturer of outdoor signage used Wacker SilGel 612 to protect its […]

In an automatic dispensing application, the tooling for both the target workpiece and the dispensing needle are critical to positional accuracy. Even with the best set up, the dispensing needle or nozzle can move relative to the original position from which the programming was generated. This can readily occur if dispensing direct from a syringe […]

An interesting exercise: go to Google Patents and search for the term “Thinky”. The results demonstrate the enormous range of original technology breakthroughs which have depended on the ability of Thinky mixers to mix challenging liquids, pastes and powders in nanotechnology, batteries, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and many more. Can we help you with your R&D?

Recently, when discussing the choice or specification of an adhesive (or coating or sealant), we said that “Simple statements rarely match complex reality.” There is a plethora of materials and a seemingly infinite number of assembly applications, and matching them up optimally requires a real understanding of a complex scenario, in which not every factor […]

Recent advances in semiconductor and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have reduced both their size and cost. The Advanced Textiles Research Group at Nottingham Trent University is incorporating these components into the yarn-making stage to broaden the possibilities for electronic textiles into areas like temperature sensing, medical monitoring, motion sensing, energy harvesting and illumination. By incorporating the […]

Plasma contains highly reactive species including electrons, ions and free radicals. Application of plasma to glass can make it hydrophilic, increase its surface energy and improve wettability, so that inks, paints or adhesives can wet better. In addition, it can remove organic, inorganic and microbial surface contaminants that form due to exposure to air. It […]

Product data sheets (PDS) and specification documents are very useful when deciding what material or piece of equipment to consider for your new application. Without doubt, a survey of product datasheets for, say, an adhesive will allow you to narrow down the candidate list from many thousands to, hopefully, a handful. This selection can then […]

This Twitter post from James Wong caught my eye this morning. James is an ethnobotanist, a science presenter on the BBC and a New Scientist columnist. He is pragmatic and without hyperbole – and worth following if you are on Twitter and like reading myth-busting tweets about food, nutrition, and the environment. The resonance for […]

Dymax SpeedMask® 7601 is a high-performance, LED-curable, peelable masking compound formulated for surface protection during plating, anodizing (Type II or III), grit blasting and acid stripping (hydrochloric, nitric and sulfuric solutions) processes. SpeedMask temporary masking compounds are single-part liquids which are readily applied to parts prior to surface treatments. They cure very quickly with UV […]

Sometimes, cured UV adhesives or coatings have a tacky or sticky surface, even after they are exposed to the correct amount of UV light to achieve full cure. If the surface of the adhesive is exposed to atmospheric oxygen during the cure, the oxygen can penetrate into the very top layer and inhibit the polymerisation […]

Our partner, VERMES Microdispensing, a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative microdispensing concepts and systems, has introduced DST – Dynamic Shockwave Technology. Applied to jetting valve technology for the application of fluids and pastes, DST is an enabling move forward. Dynamic Shockwave Technology stands for a revolutionary actuator principle. Through optimised channel […]

Improving Productivity by Increasing Output When we think about how to increase the productivity of an organisation, we often immediately jump to how to raise output. How can we make more of that widget, or a better version of the widget, within the constraints of our production space or other limited resources? Maybe the market […]

Our customers are doing amazing things, so we’d like to highlight some of their achievements and perhaps provide you with a bit of inspiration for ways to improve your productivity while achieving a great return on investment. Here’s a snapshot of some of our recent case studies: ShotScope has been able to quadruple production of […]

Our latest case study describes the story of a UK manufacturer of outdoor signage and lighting products, who was seeking to encapsulate their LED strips to protect them from environmental damage, whilst maintaining a desirable aesthetic in the finished product. Wacker SilGel 612 Transparent Silicone Potting Gel fit the bill. Read more about it and […]

To give manufacturers all the benefits of curing using UV LED technology in a compact, all-in-one design, we now offer the Dymax® BlueWave AX-550™ LED UV curing flood lamp. The lamp offers rapid curing and consistency across a 125 mm x 125 mm curing area and can sit on a benchtop or be integrated into […]

An international company who specialise in manufacturing and repairing landing gear and actuation systems for the aerospace market were looking for efficiencies in their electroless nickel plating process – their target was to automate the masking process and increase throughput. The adoption of Dymax SpeedMask brought process times down from as much as three days […]

We have added three products to our range of thermally conductive adhesives from our partner Polytec PT. You will benefit from convenient side-by-side cartridge packaging, which simplifies application. The adhesives have added functionality, including high thermal conductivity (2.2 W/mK), very good adhesion, flexibility and high temperature resistance. When used as a bonding technique, thermally conductive […]

We have a wide experience of integrating dispensing, curing and surface preparation equipment with our robots. Combining one or more of these processes onto one platform can deliver production efficiency and productivity – often at realistic cost which can payback very quickly. This two minute video explains the benefits we have delivered to customers over […]

Our popular Fisnar DC100 digital dispensing controller has been upgraded to feature a high precision pressure regulator. As a result, the levels of dispense accuracy and repeatability the controller offers are now even higher. As a versatile dispenser for adhesives, sealants, coatings, inks, greases, and other fluids, the DC100 digital dispenser is designed to suit […]

The fixture time for an adhesive (sometimes called the set time) is the shortest time required by the adhesive to develop handling strength such that substrates can be removed from fixtures, unclamped, or handled without stressing the bond – stress which might affect the ultimate bond strength. We can define handling strength as a (relatively) […]

THINKY Mixers are industrial non-contact “planetary ” mixers for all liquids, pastes, powders and fillers – and any combination of liquids or liquids/solids. This includes engineering compounds, pharmaceutical or cosmetic formulations, and nano-particle dispersions. They mix, disperse and degas your materials in seconds to minutes, in a sealed or lid-less container such as a jar, […]

Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a high density thermoplastic, also called acetal or polyacetal. Brand names include Delrin, Ultraform and Hostaform*. It is often used as an engineering grade plastic, especially for precision parts. POM is extremely solid, hard and stiff in a wide temperature range. It maintains its high ductility up to -40°C and has excellent […]

A new addition to the Dymax BlueWave MX-Series LED UV Curing System offers the ability to control up to four LED UV emitters with one controller, saving space and money while offering greater flexibility for curing applications. The BlueWave MX-series Multichannel Controller is available in 2- and 4-channel versions. This allows manufacturers to use just […]

The Challenge “A leading UK aerospace company commissioned Astech Projects to build a bespoke Automated Masking System to mask complex areas of aircraft components to avoid precious metal coverage during the manufacturing process,” explained Craig Hamilton, Business Development Manager at Astech Projects. “The system was required to have the capability to mask 14 component variants, […]

Optics engineers commonly require optical adhesives to bond components together during optical assembly, lens and prism bonding, optical element positioning and fixturing, and fibre-optic assembly. Every adhesive has its own strengths and limitations, which can make it challenging to determine which is the most suitable material for the task at hand. Selecting an adhesive requires […]

Design teams test the aerodynamics of a Formula 1 car by putting a prototype in a wind tunnel. Engineers often use smaller scale 3D models during testing – but how can they be sure that the prototype will be up to scratch? The time-scales and competitive nature of Formula 1 mean that engineers must quickly […]

Whilst our customers typically use plasma technology to improve their bonding, another use of plasma is ultrafine surface cleaning. Relyon Plasma, our sales partner, has produced an in-depth explanation of how plasma technology can clean surfaces, which we have added to our library of technical resources. You can read the White Paper on Plasma Technology […]

It is pleasing to report that one of our Thinky Mixers has helped some research by a team from UCL. Their just published paper is entitled Argon plasma surface modification promotes the therapeutic angiogenesis and tissue formation of tissue-engineered scaffolds in vivo by adipose-derived stem cells. Synthetic implants are being used to restore injured or […]

The January/February 2019 issue of Plastic News Europe features our article Time to bond with plasma technology. The piece concludes: “Plasma is not limited to natural phenomena like stars and the Northern Lights. Manufacturers should consider plasma treatment if they are frequently faced with difficult-to-bond substrates. The benefits can be particularly compelling for medical device, […]

The latest issue of the journal Fibres features an article from the Advanced Textiles Research Group at Nottingham Trent University entitled A Novel Method for Embedding Semiconductor Dies within Textile Yarn to Create Electronic Textiles. The group have been working on Electronic yarns (E-yarns) – yarns which contain electronics fully incorporated into the yarn’s structure prior to […]

We have recently had excellent feedback from several of our customers on the success of THINKY mixers for their research and development and small-scale production of battery slurries. The growing demand for lithium-ion batteries has inspired businesses to develop electrode slurry materials, including optimisation of formulations. The slurry consists of electrode particles, small carbon particles to help conduction and […]

Many harsh surface treatment processes are used during the manufacture of aerospace and other high technology components. During many of these processes, some areas of the component do not require the treatment, requiring temporary protection. Dymax SpeedMask® temporary masking materials provide aerospace manufacturing companies with reliable surface protection without the challenges of traditional masking materials […]

The modular connectivity design of the new F4000 ADVANCE series of benchtop dispensing robots from Fisnar gives manufacturers more control in specifying an automated fluid dispensing system that will meet their own particular requirements. The ADVANCE series comprises the most extensive range of 3-axis, 4-axis and 5-axis robots in the industry and allows a simple […]

We wrote about shelf life in this Intertronics academy blog post pot life v shelf life v working life – part 1. Our partners at Dymax have written a blog post entitled 5 Questions to Help You Understand Shelf Life with answers to these questions: How is the shelf life of a product determined? Where do […]

Many two-part adhesive materials are supplied in side-by-side cartridges, particularly in 50ml quantities. If you are using a material packaged in 50ml cartridges, the most likely associated dispensing method is a simple, manual dispensing gun. Manual dispensing guns are convenient and inexpensive. This is ideal if you are sampling a material or using it in […]

A rotary dispensing table is a simple robot which holds a round or cylindrical object, rotating it while a material is applied to it via a dispensing syringe, pump or valve. Whilst it is a simple tool, it will provide consistent results, reducing manual labour, rejects, and wasted material. When dispensing onto round objects or […]

WACKER SilGel 612 silicone gel potting compound has a cured consistency that is really hard to describe in words, so we have demonstrated it in video format. This soft silicone gel provides excellent shock and vibration absorption in addition to the usual benefits of potting compounds such as component protection from water and other environmental […]

Our partners Techspray have a new blog post about Dusters – also called “air duster”, “canned air”, “compressed air”, and “dusting gas”, they are used to provide a pressurised blast, knocking loose dust and dirt. Think of them as a portable replacement for an air compressor line. They can be used to blow out biscuit […]

Reducing material waste during the UV curing adhesive dispense and cure process is a common challenge faced by manufacturers. For innovative pump manufacturer Franklin Electric, our partners at preeflow were able to provide a fully integrated adhesive dispensing system to do just this. The preeflow eco-PEN450 not only reduced the manufacturer’s waste and minimised material consumption but […]

Yes, some are. It is good to understand this chemistry and the different types so that you can make sure you choose an appropriate RTV silicone sealant for your application. RTV silicone sealants are very useful products, because of their outstanding long term thermal resistance and stability (-50° to +180°C or more), long-lasting flexibility and […]

Bringing portability, precision and power to UV curing To improve UV curing options available for the medical, industrial, electronics, automotive and optical industries, we have launched the IUV101 LED UV Spot Lamp for Handheld UV Light Curing.  The new 370nm handheld spot lamp offers up to 2,000 mW/cm2 intensity in a cost-effective and portable package. It […]

WACKER ELASTOSIL® N9111 is a tin-free single part RTV silicone sealant, with a neutral cure chemistry, producing a non-corrosive seal that does not inhibit other materials such as platinum cure silicones. This, along with its flame retardancy (it meets UL94 V-0), makes it a strong candidate for electronics manufacturing, especially for gap filling, component ruggedisation, […]

The automobile manufacturing industry places high demands on suppliers with regard to process reliability, quality and efficiency. To meet these challenges, a preeflow® customer had to optimise his application of a two-part sealant to make a form-in-place (FIP) automotive gasket. In his previous process, the dispensed sealant bead exceeded the tolerance limits at the point […]

We are proud to support Kevin Cook, our technical manager and product guru, in his company volunteering mission this year. As a keen rugby fan and parent of seven year old rugby player Louis, Kevin chose to spend his volunteering time helping out at the under 7’s and 8’s annual county rugby tournament ‘Tagfest 2018’. […]

Picture credit Getty Images/Dennis Oulds This weekend, I listened to the recent Desert Island Discs episode featuring the tennis champion Billie Jean King. Not only did Billie Jean King win 39 Grand Slam tennis titles (12 in singles, 16 in women’s doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles), but also has been and remains a powerful […]

In time/pressure fluid dispensing, the use of a dispensing piston in the syringe barrel can benefit in a number of ways: a piston helps to apply even pressure across the liquid surface, giving a more uniform dispense, it acts as a barrier between the liquid and the air, and it reduces waste and residue in […]

Simple application, fast cure, no solvents – these are the features many pcb assemblers are looking for when specifying a printed circuit board conformal coating. You want good protection of your pcb assemblies with efficient process and high throughput. If this is you, then Dymax’s Light-Curable Conformal Coatings Selector Guide should be on your reading […]

Munich based chemical company WACKER and Intertronics are pleased to announce the signing of a distribution contract under which Intertronics will sell WACKER’s range of RTV silicone encapsulants and potting compounds, adhesive sealants, and thermally conductive compounds to customers in the UK and Ireland. Our customers are involved in technology manufacturing in areas such as […]

We know that light curing adhesives can improve productivity. This infographic from our partners Dymax highlights efficiencies that can be gained when a UV light cure systems technology is looked at holistically as an integral part of a full production process, leading to an average 30% savings in overall process costs. The benefits include: Minimised […]

The application of adhesives, potting compounds or encapsulants, sealants, FIP gaskets, temporary masking or lubricants (or other liquids, fluids or pastes – in summary, “a material”) is something which is readily automated with a dispensing robot. If you are doing this manually now, then you could be missing out on productivity benefits, including consistency, speed […]

Shot Scope Technologies, based in Edinburgh, designs and manufactures innovative wearable technology which helps both professional and amateur golfers to improve their game. A keen golfer with a background in electronics design, CEO David Hunter set up the company in 2014 to develop the golf wearable, which collects and analyses over 100 key statistics from […]

A structural adhesive is an adhesive which “hardens” or cures into a material capable of holding two or more substrates together, bearing the forces involved for the lifetime of the product. It is often termed a “load-bearing” adhesive. The product may undergo shock, vibration, chemical exposure, temperature excursions or many other types of potentially weakening or […]

Linseed oil is a “drying oil”; the oil hardens through a chemical reaction in which the components crosslink, and hence polymerise into a solid form. The addition of pigments to the oil makes paint, and this technique has been used since the Middle Ages, even in fine art. Today, linseed oil paints are used for a variety […]

The latest dispensing product from us is the Fisnar F4500N Benchtop Dispensing Robot which shares all the technical advantages of the F4000 range in an expanded format of 500x500mm, still in a convenient benchtop design. The Fisnar F4500N is a full function robot that enables cost effective automation of liquid dispensing operations, allowing increased productivity […]

We are very clear about the companies with whom we partner in order to supply the needs of our customers. They must have great products, be reliable and communicative and supportive, be innovative, and above all – share our values. With all these things aligned, we build enduring win-win relationships. There is no better example […]

We have a new addition to our line of THINKY mixing machines: the THINKY ARM-310 mixing machine for liquids, pastes and powders. The new Thinky ARM-310 Engineering Compounds Mixer offers an alternative to mixing by hand, with simple operation and fully homogeneous results in a few minutes, and results which are repeatable time after time. The […]

Our partners Dymax have recently introduced Dymax 1406-M, a next generation needle bonding adhesive for manufacturers looking to switch to UV LED curing in small gauge needle applications.  It provides superior bonding performance on the reduced surface area of smaller cannulas, even after aging and sterilization, to reduce the possibility of cannula substrate failure. Optimized for […]

One of the great benefits of our Fisnar dispensing robots is that they can be simply user-programmed via the standard teach pendant, supplied in the box. Fisnar robot programming is simple, with easy to understand English language instructions. Commands are followed and responses entered by the teach pendant. An LCD display prompts the user for a […]

Composites continue to be the subject of rapid advancement in terms of formulation, production and types of applications. Incorporating composites in your assemblies requires adhesives that contribute to the highest possible performance and reliability, exploit their qualities of strength and light weight and meet the demanding conditions of the automotive, defence, aerospace, marine, medical, electronics/electrical, […]

The preeflow® eco-PEN330 Volumetric Dosing Pump is now available, joining a range of very successful sibling preeflow eco-PENs. It offers manufacturers precision application of fluids and pastes from a minimum of 0.002ml, at rates of up to 3.3 ml/min. The preeflow progressive cavity pump technology handles delicate fluids from watery up to a pasty consistency without damage, and […]

This paper describes the development of a microfluidic platform for the formation and maintenance of blood microvessels. A mould is fabricated using photolithography, which is then used to cast the microfluidic from PDMS (poly-dimethylsiloxane). One of the key issues during the microfluidic production is the complete filling of all the microstructures with the uncured PDMS. […]

The curing of materials like adhesives, coating, encapsulants, potting compounds, temporary masking materials or gaskets with UV light offers many process advantages, and can deliver productivity enhancements to manufacturers. The ability of the technology to deliver full cure in seconds (rather than minutes or hours) is a prime example. The materials are predominantly single part […]

The Vermes MDS 3010+ and Vermes MDS 3020+ Microdispensing Jetting Valves are designed for precision dispensing of material in small volumes at fast speeds with extremely high accuracy and repeatability. The piezo-actuated valves satisfy the trend for increasing miniaturisation of components in production processes – demanding ever-smaller deposits of beads and lines – as well as the requirement to […]

The Dymax BlueWave® MX-250™ LED flood curing system offers all the benefits of curing using UV LED technology, in a flood lamp configuration which has the power and control suitable for production. There are significant potential advantages in using LEDs to generate UV light suitable for curing adhesives and coatings in a manufacturing environment. No […]

One of our new print advertisements!

One of our new print advertisements!

A nice infographic from our friends at Dymax discussing the advantages of curing using LED-based equipment. Click on the image for a larger version. Check out our range of adhesives which have been formulated to cure with LED UV curing lamps.

We are stocking the Techspray Vortex 360° Renew Duster, which provides an answer for companies facing the restriction on technical aerosols using HFCs with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) greater than 150. The EU F-Gas Regulation (517/2014) which comes into effect on 1 January 2018 controls the use and emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases, and will […]

The flowplus16 is an inline fluid sensor for monitoring the pressure of adhesive, coating or other material being dispensed or dosed. By understanding changes in pressure of material flow, consistency or other quality issues (like blockages or air inclusions) can be identified in order to produce consistent dosing results and dispensing quality. In this White […]

GenZe dedicate themselves purely to getting customers where they need to be with their two wheeled electric vehicles. A leading pioneer in the field, GenZe has developed leading edge engineering, R&D, and design innovations in areas including Li-Ion battery production. Packaging state-of-the-art electronics with energy-dense Li-Ion battery cells presents some unique challenges and opportunities The Problem […]

How to degas a syringe using a THINKY mixing and degassing machine is a visual guide to removing air from syringe packaged materials. Suitable for degassing materials from low to high viscosity the THINKY ARE-250 can also uniformly mix your compound, epoxy, adhesive, silicone, paste, powder or other material before being decanted into syringes and degassed ready […]

Gantry robots provide the reliability of precisely positioned dispensing for conveyor operations requiring a Cartesian gantry robot, or for bench applications that require XYZ movement above the work. These robots can increase your production output and product quality with consistent results on every piece. With simple, fully-supported implementation from our Technical Team here at Intertronics you will […]

The Problem A world leader in electrical explosion protection and sensor technology, was looking for an alternative to laser welding for an application that requires sealing two polycarbonate parts in their photoelectric sensors. The customer was bonding polycarbonate clear covers to a polycarbonate PCB enclosure by laser welding. However, they were unsatisfied with the results, as […]

In setting up a UV light curing process, the key to success is ensuring that the adhesive or other light curing material receives the correct dose or UV curing energy in order to cure as completely as possible. Dose is the total energy arriving at the surface per unit area and is made up of the […]

Based in Boston, Lincolnshire, Parkinson Harness Technology is a manufacturer of bespoke electrical products to industries such as construction, agriculture, rail and defence. It produces a variety of products including wiring harnesses, control panels, battery/power leads, PCBs and control systems mainly for use in specialist vehicle manufacture. Parkinson Harness Technology also offers engineering support services […]

Dymax 9452-FC is an advanced low viscosity conformal coating for printed circuit boards, formulated with a revolutionary new technology as an alternative to thin, solvent-based conformal coatings. Whilst it has a very low viscosity – 20 cP – it still provides good electrical insulation and protection against humidity, plus very good thermal shock and corrosion resistance. It offers […]

We have added a new Technical Bulletin to our Technical Resources to help answer the commonly asked question: “How much adhesive will I need?“. The Technical Bulletin is a guide to calculating approximate amounts of material required, based on the bondline dimensions. “How much adhesive will I need?” also includes a link to download our Adhesive Usage […]

The bonding with adhesives of plastics to metals is an application which is growing. A typical example is the bonding of composite materials (carbon fiber, CFRP) and aluminium (Al) materials in the automotive sector. Various adhesives can meet the structural requirements of the bond. However, a polymer matrix of carbon fiber reinforced materials can have […]

The latest addition to our YouTube channel features an explanation of just how quick and easy it is to get going with a THINKY mixing and degassing machine.   THINKY Mixers are industrial non-contact “planetary” mixers for all engineering compounds. They mix, disperse and degas your materials in seconds to minutes, in a sealed or lid-less […]

Thinking about improved structural bonding of plastics? Plastics are usually characterised by inert surfaces with surface energies between 20 and 40 mN/m. In order to wet a surface, however, the surface energy of the polymer must exceed the one of the paint, ink or the adhesive. This condition can be achieved through a plasma treatment […]

With more than 90 years of experience in the development of audio electronics, beyerdynamic, based in Heilbronn, Germany, stands for innovative audio products with the highest sound quality and groundbreaking technology. The different divisions provide tailor-made solutions for professional and private users. All products are developed in Germany and are mainly manufactured by hand – […]

DYMAX Speedmask® 9-7001 is a temporary mask for electronics. It offers significant time saving in assembly of electronics connectors and other board level components to pcb’s. Once cured in seconds with UV/visible light, the (pink) maskant enables easy visual checks, while its low shrinkage rate ensures accurate reliable coverage. Speedmask® 9-7001 is designed for protecting connectors […]

Our customer, GJD designs, produces and sells intruder detection products at its factory and head office in Heywood, Greater Manchester. One of GJD’s main products is its line of white-light and infra-red LED illuminators, marketed under the company’s Clarius® brand. Used principally in security applications, they also find other uses, including broadcast production. High performance […]

“Our technicians wanted me to source your wipes, as they are better than any wipes we have been using.” “The sample IPA wipes have been approved by management – they’re over the moon with the quality and performance.” We are delighted with how happy our customers are with our cleaning wipes. Available from stock for […]

The Problem A leading industrial electronics company was developing a new industrial inverter model that required a high cured thickness of conformal coating to meet electric performance. The product they were using at the time was a solvent-based coating with a low cured thickness. Air pollution and odours from solvent based coatings were  a concern for […]

We have two new precision dispensing tips to add to our smooth flow tapered dispensing tips range. Responding to research conducted, the dispensing tips were developed to aid the problems associated with the increasing miniaturisation of applications. Smaller applications tend to require more precision and smaller deposit sizes of material. Some methods using conventional tips like straight blunt […]

The much discussed “productivity puzzle” continues to haunt the UK economy. Whilst the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that manufacturing productivity in the last quarter of 2016 grew by 1.7% on the previous quarter, overall growth still lags behind the curve. Nevertheless, UK manufacturers recognise the need to enhance their […]

The new Thinky ARV-10K Twin planetary mixer offers the mixing and degassing capabilities of the Thinky technology in a size suitable for larger production. The planetary action on the twin 10 litre containers results in repeatable and fully homogeneous mixing, combined with simultaneous deaeration and degassing down to sub-micron levels. This twin mixer system offers […]

We have added a “how to” video to our YouTube channel. Setting Up a Pressure Pot for Dispensing is a short visual guide for preparing a pressure reservoir for dispensing materials such as adhesives, paints, lacquers, solvents, inks, coatings, oils and many other low to medium viscosity liquids from a pail or bottle. How to set […]

The Dymax ACCU-CAL™ 160 Radiometer is an essential tool for users of UV curing processes, where both validating and subsequent monitoring of the lamp output is vital to consistent production quality. It is designed to be used with both benchtop flood curing lamps and conveyorised systems, and comes in two versions for either broad spectrum […]

IRS 2111 All-Purpose Epoxy Adhesive and IRS 2112 Fast Curing General Purpose Epoxy Adhesive are versatile and simple to use two part industrial epoxy adhesives which can be used for bonding, sealing and structural support applications. They are supplied in convenient side by side syringe cartridges for efficient mixing and application, and are supported by […]

Visitors to the our Technology Centre near Oxford will have noticed the enclosure containing a robot-mounted Relyon PB3 Plasmabrush plasma surface treatment system. We have created an integrated plasma surface treatment package which is being used for customer demonstrations and evaluations, and is available for purchase as a turnkey automated workstation. The Relyon PB3 Plasmabrush plasma treatment […]

Some of the two-part adhesives, sealants and other materials we supply are packaged in side-by-side syringe cartridges. In this packaging, the materials are already pre-measured in the correct ratio, saving time and material handling. The correct amounts of material are fed into a static mixing nozzle, which ensures thorough mixing whilst no air is introduced. The entire cartridge does […]

The preeflow® eco-SPRAY’s reliable, extremely precise and repeatable dosing results are finding new applications; for example, it can spray solder paste. A series of trials testing the capabilities of the preeflow eco-SPRAY for the application of solder paste had excellent results. Manual application of solder paste (left) vs. eco-SPRAY (right) Solder pastes are mixtures of solder powder and flux […]

Dymax Speedmask® 9-20479-B-Rev-A UV/light cure temporary masking agent is specifically designed to meet the needs of the electronics industry, where its fast cure and simple removal will improve productivity in printed circuit board assembly.  It is formulated for the protection of pcb connectors and other components, either during the soldering process, or during conformal coating. […]

Advances in wearable technology are coming thick and fast. Even that most conservative of investor, Warren Buffet, has seen fit to put his weight behind the wearable tech industry. With these advances comes multiple benefits, none more so than in the medical field. We all understand the idea of smart watches and other gizmos which […]

The Relyon Plasma PiezoBrush® PZ2 has nozzle attachment options for surface activation across a wide range of applications. Treatment of metals, and smaller and more precise applications are now possible. The use of a variety of special gases enhance the possibilities of PDD (Piezoelectric Direct Discharge) on challenging substrates. Based on the direct, electric discharge at […]

Dymax SpeedMask masking resins for electronics applications cure on demand, in seconds, with UV/visible light. Used for temporary masking in printed circuit board assembly, they are suitable for either soldering or conformal coating processes. Rapid cure speed allows for flexibility, efficiency and productivity in production as the pcb’s are immediately ready for further processing – reducing […]

Sometimes, materials are dispensed or dosed under vacuum – for example, the potting of intricate electronics assemblies may be done under vacuum in order to prevent unwanted air entrapment. Selecting dosing equipment under this scenario might be tricky. Dispensing systems based on time/pressure can be inaccurate in changing atmospheric pressure! The preeflow eco-PENs and eco-DUOs […]

Today I was made aware of this interview on the BBC News, given by friend Mike Wilson, President of the British Automation and Robot Association (BARA). It takes place during the CBI  Conference in London last November, and Mike is asked to comment on Theresa May’s pledge to invest £2bn a year in an effort to […]

Ensuring Success When Switching from Conventional Lamp to LED Light Curing Sources, authored by our sales partner Dymax, is a new white paper available on our Technical Articles and White Papers webpage. Because of the differences in the technology, making the switch in UV curing equipment from broad spectrum lamps to LED curing sources is […]

Trends in miniaturisation call for smaller, more precise and ever more repeatable metering, mixing & dispensing units for two-part materials. The preeflow® eco-duo330 sets new standards in micro-dosing for two component systems by providing dosages as small as 0.2 to 32ml/min with precisely mixed material, complete repeatability and exceptional control. This is expected to be of particular value […]

If you’ve visited our Technology Centre here in Kidlington lately, you will have noticed the enclosure containing a robot-mounted Relyon PB3 Plasmabrush plasma surface treatment system.   Relyon plasma surface treatment products improve adhesion and wetting of surfaces which are otherwise difficult to bond, print on, coat or laminate. Atmospheric plasma surface treatment is both […]

DYMAX Speedmask® 718 UV/light cure masking resin brings the benefits of reliable, quick, effective application and simple removal, to the protection of turbine blades, vanes and other components during specific area surface treatments such as APS and HVOF coating. Protecting areas being left untreated is crucial to high quality outcomes with these maximum performance parts […]

It’s great to see our Thinky ARE-250 Mixing and Degassing Machine feature in the latest edition of the Journal of the Institute of Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists (IMPT). The piece describes how we worked with Jim Dimond, Consultant Clinical Maxillofacial Prosthetist at University Hospital Coventry to help him save time and improve the quality of their mixing process when mixing […]

We offer a range of temporary masking resins that provide reliable and cost effective protection for critical surfaces and cavities during finishing operations. Dymax SpeedMasks cure in seconds upon exposure to UV/visible light and replace traditional masking materials such as tapes, lacquers, waxes, boots and caps. SpeedMask resins are easily applied, and are available in […]

QuantX™ – the latest generation of dispensing components, designed and manufactured to compete – and be compatible – with other leading brands. We offer next day delivery and economical purchase price for engineers and buyers. The QuantX range has been developed by our partner Fisnar in response to market demands for a premium, compatible product, […]

Our customer BPR Medical, based in Mansfield, Nottingham, is a perfect example of a small British company which combines expertise, creativity and entrepreneurialism to design, develop and manufacture world-beating products for export worldwide and use in the United Kingdom, for which it was rewarded in 2012 with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation. As with […]

The manufacture of a medical prosthetic device for a patient’s face or similar area is a highly skilled job; each one is unique, and needs to be handled with great sensitivity, as both functional and cosmetic considerations are involved. It may require careful mixing and colour matching of a silicone moulding compound, with no air […]

We supply a number of our adhesives and potting compounds in twinpacks. This convenient packaging offers benefits – the materials are pre-weighed in their correct mixing ratios, which saves time, and improves quality by removing the step of manually weighing out each part. Mixing within the twinpack reduces the handling of chemicals, cuts down on mess […]

The new Polytec PT brochure offers information on specialist epoxy resin adhesives and potting compounds for electronics, electrical engineering, optical and medical industries. It details high strength optically transparent epoxies, including formulations with flexibility in the Shore A range. Medical device manufacturers will find products which are biocompatible and tested to USP Class VI. These materials […]

The new Dymax BlueWave® MX-150™ LED UV Spot Curing Lamp offers the speed, consistency, reliability and long service life associated with LED UV curing. The modular unit has a separate, compact light emitter, suitable for benchtop use but small enough to be readily integrated into robotic or other fully automated systems. The BlueWave MX-150 UV LED Spot […]

The Problem A leading manufacturer of premium portable lighting was looking to make its safety torches more rugged – they are used by fire fighters, police officers and military troops in the field. Their engineers needed the torches to withstand rough handling and extreme conditions in the field, and to work in a wide range […]

Our digital benchtop fluid dispensers handle a wide range of tasks from depositing microdots to lines to small volume potting and filling. The Fisnar DC100 Precision Dispensing Controller & Automatic Liquid Dispenser  provides control in the application of virtually any fluid. Latest features including ample program storage, programmable alarms and I/O integration help to improve […]

This video on our YouTube channel compares and contrasts our most popular Thinky Mixers, using the mixing and defoaming of silicone resin as an example. The manufacturer’s video shows a Thinky ARE-310 – the equivalent machine available in Europe is the Thinky ARE-250, which is functionally the same. Thinky mixers use a combination of rotation […]

New developments and applications in energy and electrical engineering can require ever higher levels of thermal conductivity – hence our partners Polytec PT are developing the next generation of thermally conductive two-part epoxy adhesives. These new high performance adhesives offer excellent thermal conductivity, so enhancing the effectiveness of heat paths found in applications such as LED […]

Light curing adhesives offer many design and manufacturing benefits spanning a wide range of industrial applications. These adhesives cure in seconds, forming high-strength, environmentally resistant bonds whilst maximising productivity. General and specific formulations are available for bonding plastics, metal, glass and other substrates. These adhesives can be applied by hand, or by semi or fully automated […]

The method of using a positive displacement technology for the dispensing or dosing of liquids can bring many benefits to those for whom repeatability, precision, reliability and accuracy are important. preeflow volumetric dispensing pumps have found applications in sectors such as electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, medical device assembly and pharmaceuticals – from the application […]

Low cost dispensing robots provide versatility , precision productivity in the automation of dispensing operations. The Fisnar F5200N.1 is a compact and economical gantry robot which enables unlimited work height and provides open access. It can form dots, lines, arcs and circles, and has a capacity of 100 programs, each with up to 4000 points. […]

We offer a small-footprint benchtop robot that enables cost-effective automation of any dispensing operation. The Fisnar F4200N robot features a true three-axis design, and can be interfaced with any of our dispensing equipment. This makes it ideal for form-in-place gaskets, adhesives, coatings, potting, filling and shielding in the lab or on the line. Programming is straightforward, […]

The Dymax white paper Ensuring Success When Switching from Conventional Lamp to LED Light Curing Sources discusses topics such as how LED curing works, the advantages of LED curing, and getting enough information to switch successfully. LEDs, or light emitting diodes, continue to gain popularity as a replacement for traditional light bulbs, not only in homes […]

We are witnessing the widespread adoption of contactless cards for payments, rather than the hitherto main applications of access control and ID. The key to the reliability and longevity of these dual interface smart cards is the effectiveness of the electrical connection between contact chip and RFID antenna. One solution is Polytec PT’s PU 1000, […]

Getting your product ATEX certified for use in explosive environments can be a challenging process. If your ATEX protection concept depends on a potting compound, then the certification body will have a number of technical and commercial demands of you, the material, and the material supplier/manufacturer. Our latest White Paper, ATEX Certification for Electronics Potting […]

The preeflow eco-PEN dispenses and doses with accuracy and repeatability whilst optimising material usage. It can dose or dispense any liquid, from free-flowing solvents to heavily filled conductive adhesives, in volumes as small as 0.001ml. Its positive displacement pump technology enables precision volumetric fluid control without stress to the material. The eco-PEN is suited to semi […]

You can buy two (or more) part adhesives which have been pre-measured into the correct proportions, mixed and degassed, filled into a dispensing syringe or cartridge, and then frozen to stop the cure. The adhesive is shipped from the factory to you in an insulated box also containing ice. Upon delivery, you store the adhesive […]

Opti-tec 5013 high performance, two-part epoxy is a water white optically clear general adhesive for bonding glass, ceramics, plastics and metals as well as some optical and opto-electronic applications. It ensures strong, clear structural bonds, including for repair and restoration where aesthetics are a priority. It can also be used for small volume potting and […]

Opti-tec 5020 two-part epoxy clear potting compound combines high clarity with resistance to a wide range of temperatures (-55°C to +115°C) and environmental conditions. It also offers excellent hardness and chemical resistance compared with typical polyurethane and silicone formulations. Opti-tec 5020 is suitable for delicate components thanks to low exothermic output during cure, which also […]

Recent developments in 3D printing  (also known as additive manufacturing or rapid prototyping) have popularised the SLA (stereolithography) methodology of laser printing in a bath of UV light curable photopolymer resin. This process effectively “grows” a component in the bath so that as it is withdrawn, each successive layer is light cured. It is a process […]

Opti-tec 4200 is an optically clear potting compound suitable for encapsulating LEDs and other electronic components. Opti-tec 4200 is a clear polyurethane resin for applications including lighting, illumination or when the electronics needs to be visible. It features excellent non-yellowing colour stability owing to UV resistant base materials and stabilisers. In double syringe or twinpack sachets, the […]

We offer materials and processing equipment to meet the bonding and assembly needs of medical device manufacturers. A range of ISO 10993 and USP Class VI materials are compatible with the substrates commonly used in the industry. The range comprises structural adhesives, coatings, sealants, form-in-place gaskets and temporary masks – all for medical device assembly. And mixing, […]

Intertronics offers a benchtop mixer that mixes, disperses and degasses liquids, pastes and powders without a vacuum. The Thinky ARE-250 features a planetary design that simultaneously revolves and rotates the ingredients being mixed. Materials are mixed in your sealed or lid-less containers such as jars, beakers, syringe barrels or cartridges. Used in critical applications in […]

Responding to a strong and increasing demand in innovative manufacturing concepts for electric and hybrid vehicle batteries, our partners Polytec PT have adhesives, potting compounds and greases with high thermal conductivities that are customised with regard to processing parameters, thermal and mechanical properties, and service durability. The need for power dissipation from the cell to […]

Dymax SpeedMask® temporary masking resins offer reliable surface protection of components, often more than traditional masking materials such as tapes, lacquers, and waxes. Learn about the advantages of our light-curable maskants in this informative infographic and see a real life example of how switching from thermal tape to a SpeedMask® maskant saved one company 40,000 […]

The newsletter from the Chief Economist of RBS landed in our in-box this morning. I quote: The UK’s labour market recovery has been impressive but the same cannot be said for productivity. Output per hour in the UK was 18 percentage points below the average for the rest of the major G7 advanced economies in […]

We recently completed a project to expand and refurbish the Technology Centre at our head office just north of Oxford. We have a comfortable meeting space with AV facilities, and a lab area with a wide range of equipment. Customers and colleagues are invited in to meet with us about their applications and challenges, evaluate […]

For applications demanding fast cure bonding we offer a range of LED light curable adhesives. Dymax LED Curing Adhesives are optimised for use with the latest LED lamp curing systems, offering repeatable production proven bonding performance on rigid and flexible substrates, with formulations optimised for the needs of industries from medical devices and electronics to […]

The eco-DUO, a precision mixing and dispensing system manufactured by preeflow, has always provided volumetrically accurate, repeatable dispensing for two-component materials with a mixing ratio between 1:1 and 5:1. Now, preeflow has updated the eco-DUO to mix materials in up to a 10:1 ratio. The preeflow eco-DUO uses the precision dispensing technology of the preeflow […]

preeflow® eco-SPRAY technology brings exceptional levels of accuracy, repeatability and precise edge definition to micro-spray dispensing tasks. The combination of the preeflow positive displacement volumetric pump and a low-flow spray chamber guarantees high performance spraying of low to high viscosity fluids. This volumetric spray dispensing system provides a superior level of process reliability because viscosity variations in […]

DYMAX Speedmask® 731 speeds up and improves temporary masking prior to aggressive finishing processes in manufacturing, especially on darker colour substrates. Its unique bright yellow colour enables quick and accurate visual checking of coverage or removal which is enhanced by fluorescence under black light. Speedmask 731 is a 100% organic UV/visible curing masking resin which […]

Dymax ECE Series UV curing flood lamps enable rapid curing of UV adhesives, coatings and inks. These lamps provide moderate to high intensity UV/visible light in benchtop systems or integrated into assembly lines. Two sizes are available to meet the many demands of industries from medical devices to automotive assemblies. Electronic shutter systems provide precise […]

The engineering and fitting of effective sealing has often been a rather unproductive and at times unsatisfactory business, frequently involving moulded or pre-punched gaskets, time-consuming installation of strip profiles or long waiting times while injected foams cure on stacked shelves. We have announced the new Dymax GA-201 UV cure FIP gasket material which in large measure […]

The IDMVG DV5005DFS Positive Displacement Auger Valve solves some of the problems associated with the dispensing of medium-to-high viscosity materials, especially those which have short working lives or difficult rheology. It features a positive displacement auger mechanism in a short, disposable fluid path which minimises cleaning and maintenance. The DFS is an accurate, repeatable dispensing valve […]

If you ever thought about improving the manual application of your adhesives, oils, greases, solder pastes, sealants, inks or any other liquid or paste, then download a copy of our latest Technology Guide: An Introduction to Time/Pressure Dispensing. It talks about the advantages of this simple technology over brushing, daubing or squeeze bottles. The Guide […]