Typical connections when bonding with UV adhesives

Bonding glass with UV adhesives requires not only precision but also knowledge of the correct techniques. In this article, we will show the differences between the different types of joints, recommend suitable Loxeal adhesives and give some tips for flawless results when working with glass.

 

Typical joints and technological peculiarities

A) Rectangular glass-to-glass joints

	We apply the adhesive after assembly in the gap, it then wets itself inside the joint.   For gluing rectangular joints we recommend Loxeal UV 30-23
	When gluing, it is necessary to maintain the exact position of the glued parts, e.g. with suction cups.
	The adhesive must be applied in an even layer before gluing, again the use of suction cups is advisable.
	The boards must be sanded at precise angles.

 

B) Highly loaded butt joints

	The boards must be ground at an exact angle.
	Loxeal UV 30-20 is recommended for bonding butt joints.

 

C) Overlapped glass-to-glass joints

The overlapped joint is used when the butt joint would be overloaded by the leverage force (overlap of 2 × glass thickness).

 

D) Large glass-to-glass joints

To prevent bubbles forming in large-area bonded joints, apply the adhesive in sufficient quantity, remove visible bubbles with a needle and allow to expand for approx. 30 - 60 seconds. Slowly place the bonded counterpart in the direction from one edge to the "wet contact" with the adhesive and gently release. The glue will now be able to spread evenly over the entire surface (see figure below). Excess glue will be squeezed out at the sides.

Use suitable fixing to hold the glued parts in position until cured.

Applied adhesive.   CCA 30 seconds to 1 minute to allow the glue to spread.   Place the glued counter piece in the direction from one edge to the wet contact with the glue and gently release.

 

If the adhesive is running low or if air bubbles are present, do not attempt to correct the deficiency by vigorousm pressure, as even a slight reduction in pressure will cause the glass to spring back and create an "air web".

An applied adhesive that has not filled the entire glued area

 

E) Glass-metal bonding

When bonding the glass-metal combination, the metal parts should not be treated with products that form a coating on their surface (e.g. lubricants, polishes, silicones, oils, etc.).), or surface treated (chrome plated, nickel plated, painted, etc.) because the surface treatment has less adhesion to the substrate than the adhesive's cohesion. When bonding glass to metal, we must also keep in mind the different coefficients of expansion of these materials. The most suitable metal is stainless steel.

- To achieve a high strength glass-to-metal bond, we use Loxeal UV 30-24 adhesive.

- The curing is done by UV radiation on the glass side

Examples of applications: gluing hinges and handles to glass, fittings on glass doors, metal bases of glass table tops, etc.

Read also other articles in the UV adhesive series:

Preparing glass surfaces before bonding

Tips for flawless application of UV adhesive when bonding glass

Curing UV adhesives: what affects the curing time and bond strength

 

This topic is also covered in detail in our glass bonding seminar.

The article was written by:

Martin Valášek

Flat glass, paints, UV adhesives

technical support, blasting systems