WHILE thread-locking adhesives are an ideal solution to guard against the loosening of nuts and bolts, they also offer a longer-term solution to enhance the life of equipment and processes. Here are some handy tips and facts on their use:
- They are a type of adhesive that cure in the absence of oxygen, known as ‘anaerobic’.
- Thread-locking adhesives minimise vibration and prevent corrosion caused by moisture ingress.
- They set to form a thermoset plastic bond between nuts and bolts that is more durable than a nylon nut and can replace sealing tapes and pastes.
- Thread-locking adhesives can be supplied in lower strength grades that prevent loosening but allow disassembly with a simple hand tool.
- Various grades are available for specific use cases and applications.
- When it comes to locking devices, they reduce the likelihood of any accidents, minimise equipment maintenance and increase plant and product efficiency.
- An activator is suggested when using thread-locking adhesives on less active materials such as plastics, high alloy steel, cadmium, anodised aluminium and passivated chrome.
The Pratley Pratlok range of thread-locking anaerobic adhesives is ideal for various industries, from mining to automotive, industrial, agricultural, engineering and even DIY. The selection of the correct grade has been simplified and streamlined.
Pratley’s range is colour-coded for easy reference. The product name is also easy to comprehend as, for example, ‘Grade 0-6’ means that it is intended for use on screws up to 6 mm. This minimises risk and ensures that the correct grade is always selected.
“End users have peace of mind that the adhesive technology, performance and reliability of the range is second-to-none,” says national sales and marketing manager for adhesives at Pratley, Mark Bell.
The Pratley Pratlok range consists of anaerobic adhesives that cure in the absence of oxygen. A single drop on a thread will begin curing within eight to 18 minutes once assembled, depending on the grade, with a full cure after a recommended 24 hours at room temperature.
