SKZ enables measurable monitoring of adhesive curing

Adhesives are used in almost every industry to bond different types of materials. In lightweight construction and the automotive industry in particular, bonding has become an essential component. As the components are often difficult to access after bonding, no quality assurance measures can be used to monitor the bonding progress. The only option is therefore to blindly trust the adhesive manufacturer's specifications and adhere to certain characteristic curing times, which are subject to tolerance times. However, the curing of the adhesives depends on the ambient conditions, such as temperature or humidity, and can therefore be completed prematurely or even later.

THz and radar technology monitors the curing of adhesives

The SKZ, a member of the ZUSE community, addressed this existing problem as part of a completed research project and came to the conclusion that both THz and radar technology are capable of determining the curing progress of adhesives that are no longer accessible - both non-destructively and without contact. This is possible because the electromagnetic waves of the measurement methods interact with the polymer chains of the adhesives and behave differently depending on the polymer chain length, which changes during the curing process. Accordingly, a valid statement can be made about the existing curing progress via the attenuation of the measurement signals. This makes it possible to precisely determine the time at which the bonded component is transferred to the next production step and, if necessary, to specify an additional curing time. As both measurement techniques do not require radiation protection and can also be used flexibly, they can easily be used in existing production systems to accompany the process. The SKZ is happy to support companies in integrating the measurement technology into their production facilities.