APPROVALS
Which of the Axil Products meet military specifications?
Axil is a distributor of Hernon Products from the USA. Hernon has always worked closely with the military and consequently many of the products have been approved to the demanding “Mil” specs. Click here to download a pdf table showing the relevant grades.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Whom should I contact if an Axil product is involved in a medical emergency?
You should immediately take the affected person to a medical professional and take the health and safety data sheet of the product involved. The sheet contains valuable information that can aid the rapid treatment of problems. You can also contact us on +44 1922 459321 for further advice if necessary.
Are Axil Products toxic?
Generally, most Axil Products have minimal toxicity. They are non poisonous and are classified as mild skin sensitizers. However, each product is different and you should consult the relevant health and safety data sheet for more details on any specific products..
Can I mix Axil Products to alter their properties?
Axil products are precision engineered by trained adhesive chemists. Under no circumstances should they be mixed together, since unexpected reactions can occur. Should you require different properties of your product, please contact our offices and we will recommend a grade more suited to your requirements.
Do Axil Products contain trichloroethylene?
No, trichloroethylene has been eliminated from Axil products.
REMOVAL/CLEAN UP
What solvents can I use to remove liquid materials?
Axil can supply a full range of cleaning solvents designed to specifically remove our products. However, chlorinated solvents can be used to remove anaerobic and cyanoacrylate adhesives.
How can I remove a fastener that is permanently locked in?
The application of heat is required to remove a fastener that can't be removed with a hand tool. Temperatures of 165°C are required to break down a standard anaerobic, with 260°C required for high temperature versions. A heat gun or propane torch is commonly used and careful disassembly should occur whilst still hot. Once apart and cooled, use methylene chloride to remove cured excess material and then wipe down with clean up solvent to remove any other residues.
Will my bonded parts stay together 5, 10, 20 years?
Testing long term durability is a difficult matter and always relies on using a technique to artificially simulate aging, such as exposure to high temperature, heat fatigue and humidity. Since these methods only simulate aging, the only way to be absolutely sure that the bond will last is to age parts over that period. The best way to estimate bond aging is to compare new parts to known quantities and determine ratios of performance in elevated aging tests. The longer and more critical the bond life, the more important testing is. Axil is able to offer opinions as to the best testing methods, but it is the responsibility of each user to satisfy himself that the product selected is fit for the intended purpose.
CYANOACRYLATES
What can I do about the vapours given off by Axil cyanoacrylates?
The vapours can be irritating and employees should not be exposed to them for long periods of time. In some cases, the use of our "low odour" "low bloom" can alleviate the problems of irritating odour.
When I use the adhesive, I get a white haze around the bond area. Is this harmful? Can I remove it and prevent it from happening again?
This is known as blooming and occurs during the curing cycle of the adhesive. The appearance of blooming can be more frequent during the summer when humidity is at its peak, or when a user applies an excessive amount of accelerator. It can also occur when the assembly process means that the product is put into an enclosed space before the bond is fully cured, which causes vapours to settle on the adhesive. It is possible to prevent the occurrence by using a low odour low bloom product; by installing ventilation to ensure that vapours do not stay on the bond line; by using de-humidifiers to ensure that humidity never rises above 40-50% or by applying less adhesive and/ or activator. Axil produces a clean up solvent for removing the blooming effect.
ANAEROBICS
How long does it take for an anaerobic adhesive to dry?
Anaerobic adhesives do not contain solvents that need to dry off. Rather, the adhesive cures once it is in contact with active metal ions and oxygen has been eliminated. The cure time can be varied by using different grades or by applying heat or primer.
What are active metals and what are inactive?
The following table shows the generally accepted list:
Active |
Inactive |
|
Iron |
Plated Parts |
Why aren't the anaerobic bottles full?
There is always the specified amount of adhesive within a container. Bottles are
not filled to ensure sufficient oxygen contact to prevent the adhesive curing.
Should I Use a Primer with Axil anaerobics??
Almost all products will cure on metal surfaces without a primer. Primers are
recommended for non metallic surfaces
Do Axil products attack thermoplastics?
Anaerobics can attack some thermo plastics. Generally, they will not attack
thermoset plastics. Contact our offices for recommendations on the best products
to use when bonding plastics.
How long do I wait before putting products into service?
Obviously, this varies by product and you should consult the relevant data sheet for fixture times. Usually an adhesive reaches full strength after 24 hours, although products can be handled well before that time.
Can I cure the filet (outside the joint)?
Since the filet is still exposed to oxygen, it will not normally cure. Heat must
be applied (150°C or higher)
REACTIVE ACRYLICS
How long after I have applied the adhesive to one surface and the activator to the other can I leave it before bonding the substrates?
Axil supplies a wide range of activators that offer varied on part life, from as little as 10 minutes and up to two hours. Some primers have an on part life of 30 days.
Once I have made the bond, how quickly can I handle the parts?
Axil reactive adhesives have varying cure times. Some reach fixture strength within 30-60 seconds, whilst others can have delayed times up to 5 minutes. The best one to choose depends upon your own process. All take up to 24 hours to reach full strength..
How much activator should I apply?
As long as at least one surface is completely covered with a thin film of activator, then the adhesive will cure properly.
UV CURING ADHESIVES AND COATINGS
What sort of UV lamp do I need?
All Ultrabond adhesives respond to exposure to high intensity medium pressure UV lamps in the range of 365nm (long wavelength) and 100 milliwatt/cm² intensity. Some Ultrabond adhesives function with low intensity lamps. Cure times are longer and gap fill ability will be lower under these conditions.
Some areas of my product are shaded from the UV light. Will Ultrabond cure fully?
In circumstances where shading is a problem, Axil offers dual cure systems based on UV cure and heat or primer cure. Please contact our offices for the best grade for your process..
I need to see the product through the adhesive. Is this possible?
Axil can supply optically clear grades for these situations.
WINDSCREEN REPAIR
What is the maximum size of crack that can be repaired using this system?
There is no limit to the size of crack that can be repaired with the system
How soon after the repair has been made can I drive the car?
Typically, 10 minutes is all that is necessary
Do I need special equipment to apply the repair compounds?
Yes. Axil does not provide this equipment but can provide recommended supplierss
SURFACE PREPARATION
What kind of surface preparation do I need to use Axil products?
For threadlocking and sealing compounds, "as received" surfaces with thin films of oil are often acceptable. Only the removal of heavy grease or oil is necessary to achieve adequate performance. For other adhesives, we recommend that users run testing to determine the best treatment.
My parts have to be plated. Is it better to plate the parts before or after bonding?
Whilst it is true that adhesives will generally cure more slowly and ultimate bond strength will be lower with plated parts, in most cases the resulting bond is acceptable. Assembly of plated parts often eliminates the need for degreasing or removal of surface contamination, since the parts must be clean for the plating operation. Therefore, in most cases, users decide to bond after plating. In the small number of cases where bonding occurs before plating, whilst Axil products stand up well to the process, we recommend testing before deciding on the most appropriate grade for your process..
How long do primers stay on the surface of parts?
This varies depending on the primer used. Some have an "on part life" of up to a month, whilst others have shorter lives, perhaps even only a few hours. Contact our offices for further details..
Should I prime both surfaces?
Generally, this is required when very fast cure times are necessary, where two difficult substrates are being bonded or where the bond line has large gaps to fill.
SHELF LIFE
Will refrigeration improve the shelf life of Axil Products?
The shelf life of Cyanoacrylates can be improved by refrigeration prior to being opened. Refrigeration will have minimal effect on other products and you should refer to the package labelling for proper storage conditions.
What is the Shelf life of Axil products?
Please click here to download our shelf life data in pdf format
ADHESIVE COVERAGE
How much adhesive do I need?
You should only apply sufficient product to fill the bond line. Use of excess material
will be wasteful and can cause clean up problems.
How many drops can I get per bottle, litre, kg etc?
This depends on the viscosity of the product and your method of application.